Hidden Memories
by QueenOfPuzzles
Summary: Takes place during the Doom WtD series. Yami goes to the museum to see if the exhibit they have on Ancient Egypt can help him recover his memories. While there, he meets a strange girl that seems to know about him, and is apparently from his past. R&R, pl
1. Chapter 1

And So It Begins...

(Note: This picks up at the beginning of the 'Waking the Dragons' series, where Yami and Yugi are headed to the museum along with their friends. The story will run along with the plot line in the animation.)

"Alright you guys. Let's hurry up and check out this museum. I'm lookin' forward to a pepperoni pizza." Joey says, standing with his crowd of friends as they wait outside a museum. There stands with him a girl, his friend Tea, and two guys, Yami, inhabiting the body of a young boy called Yugi, and Tristan. The crowd knows of the existence of Yami and Yugi but do not actually understand their mysterious bond. Whilst Yami inhabits Yugi's body, the crowd believes they are speaking to the same person. They can not differentiate the two. One is a pharaoh of ancient Egypt that was locked away in a millennium puzzle. The other is a carefree fourteen year old boy.  
It is because of the Pharaoh's past that has brought them to this particular museum. He has no memory of his life in Egypt as the pharaoh. He only knows that he locked away a dangerous game, known in those days as the Shadow Games. He searches for anything to aid his mind in the return of his memories. The museum is hosting an exhibit on ancient Egypt. One of the tablets has engraved on it a picture and hieroglyphics depicting the pharaoh.  
They walk in. All over the walls are fabulous paintings and sculptures. Something from every period of time in the arts is displayed. Our group, however, goes straight to the back where the gallery for Egypt is located. However, it is closed for a few minutes. "Let's take a look around while we wait." Yugi says. He is unheard by the others, as he remains unseen. The millennium puzzle's power allows the bearer to see his partner. This is how they communicate. They must, after all. The decision of one affects the physical state of both. "Go ahead." Yami says as he enters what we will refer to as the "soul state". When in this form he remains unseen by all but Yugi. "I'm going to check out the tablets."   
"Can't you wait just a few minutes to see it with everyone?" Yugi asks. "You never know. What if you have to move something?" This refers to the inability of the soul state. Unfortunately, when you are in the soul state you can not affect that which is around you. You can feel the wind on your face, but it will blow right through you rather than stop. That is but one example.  
"I'll stay with you if you so wish." Yami says. "You don't have to if you donâ€™t want to." Yugi says. The pharaoh smiles. "It is only a few minutes. As long as we get there, I don't mind."  
So the group moves about the museum, marveling at the all the colorful portraits and intricate sculptures. All around them are stunning works of art. The minutes float by quickly for the others, but it seems as if every second lasts an eternity to our pharaoh. Finally, the exhibit reopens.  
"Let's check out the exhibit now, you guys." Yugi says. They walk into the wing and gasp as the series of encased gold tablets glimmer before them. People move about glancing at each for a moment and then continuing on. Our group moves about, looking at each. "_Please," _the Pharaoh prays. "_Have something here-anything here- that will help." _  
"Relax" says his friend as he touches the velvet ropes in front of a tablet. "It's not like anyone plans on dragging these out of here. In fact, the only other person that is actually _really_ looking at these is that girl over there." He says, nodding his head towards a girl at the center tablet. Her back was to them, so her face was hidden.  
She was about average height with long, blonde hair cascading down to the small of her back. It was apparent she was studying the tablet intently because she was vigorously writing on a legal pad. She'd been standing in front of this particular tablet for almost fifteen minutes time. Yugi walked over to her, peering at her tablet. On it was crammed all sorts of notes about Egypt. She was down to her last couple of pages. He suspected that the preceding pages looked the same.  
"You must really like history if you take so many notes" he commented to her. "Huh?" she says, brushing back a shock of blonde hair that fell over her shoulder. "I'm sorry; I didn't know you were talking to me." "No problem." Yugi replies, "I was just remarking about your notes. I said you must really like history."  
"Only if it's about Egypt" she says. "You know," Yugi begins. "I have a friend you might like to meet. That is, if you like the history of Egypt's pharaohs." He winks at Yami, who smiles back knowingly.  
"Or maybe they' like to meet me." The girl whispers quietly to herself, looking at the ground. "Huh?" Yugi says. "It's nothing." She says, giving him a wan smile. The look in her eyes, however, betrays her feelings and gives away the fact that she meant something else.  
"Let me take over, Yugi" Yami says, and they change states. "How much do you know about Egypt?" he inquires. He couldn't explain it, but a sense of familiarity passed over him, as if he somehow had met this girl before. She must have felt it too, though we can never know for sure. But what we are quite certain of is that something compelled her to look up. An expression of shock swept over her face as she stared open mouthed for a few moments at the pharaoh. It dawned on her after a few moments, and it was very clear the exact moment her mind began to function again. She promptly fell to her knees and bowed her head down towards the ground. The rest of the group of friends had at some point wandered over to the pair, which was actually a trio, and were surprised at this sudden action. But none were astonished more then our five thousand year old pharaoh at the words that soon tumbled out of her mouth.  
"Forgive me, my Lord, it was not you whom I saw first."

"What did you say?" the pharaoh manages to say, breaking the sudden wave of silence and surprise in the group. "Forgive me, please." The girl repeats. "The boy I was talking to was not you. I would never show my pharaoh such disrespect intentionally."  
"All right...I'm confused..." says Tristan. "She knows who you are!" remarks a dazed Yugi to the pharaoh. "And she can tell us apart."  
"Who are you?" asks Yami, getting down on one knee. "My name is Alyssa. I worked in the palace during your reign." "Wow. No wonder she knows who you are. Hey, maybe when we're done she can tell you what she knows about you." Yugi says excitedly. "Maybe so" Yami says, rising to his feet.  
"Remind me why we're here again?" Joey says. "That pharaoh on that tablet is me." Yami tells him. "Look! The engravings look like the Egyptian God Cards," Tristan remarks. "Do you know what it says?" Tea asks the girl, still kneeling on the ground with her head bent. "No. What knowledge I may have had of Egyptian hieroglyphics I no longer retain." She explains.   
"What're you dong, Yugi?" Joey says, looking at the pharaoh. He doesn't realize that it is Yami he talks to. Used to this though, the pharaoh replies "I'm not really sure. I just...feel...as if I should do this." He takes out the Egyptian God Cards- Obelisk, Slifer, and Ra- and presents them to the tablet. The cards begin to glow and the group gasps as they continue to increase in brightness. Suddenly a dark light encases the cards and grips the pharaoh's arm. "What's going on?" Shouts Joey. "I don't know-" Yami says. "It feels as if some dark energy is draining the power of the Egyptian God Cards!" The lights in the room begin to flicker on and off.   
"Drop the cards!" Joey shouts above the sudden noise. "I can't!" yells the pharaoh. Joey and Tristan grab his arm, trying to assist him in his plight. "Move!" Alyssa says to Tea, who, surprised, steps away. The newly found girl pulls on the cards, trying to help. The light momentarily grips her hand as they touch the cards. Finally, the cards slip out of the hand of the pharaoh. Just as suddenly as it had come, the dark light vanished, and Alyssa falls back from the sudden disappearance of whatever had been holding onto the cards. They fall out of her hand, and scatter on the ground. The group stares at Alyssa, their expressions hard to read. I'm sorry" she stutters. "I-I shouldn't have forgotten my place." At this, she stumbles to her feet and runs straight out of the exhibit.  
"Wait!" Yami calls to her, chasing her down the steps of the outer building. "Please," he says as he catches hold of her arm. "I would like to talk to you."  
"Why would you want to speak with me, a mere servant girl in your palace? I am not the correct status for such a thing." She says, her eyes downcast once more. "You lived during my time. Anything you could tell me, even the smallest detail, I would be grateful for." Yami says, looking at this mysterious girl who had already changed his world so much. "Then I am sorry to disappoint you, my Lord. I have no memory of life in Egypt except for a few, sketchy details."   
"Man, you guys can run fast" Joey says, Tristan and Tea with him. "No, it's just you can't" his friend Tristan jokes. Looking at Alyssa, Tea asks her "Why'd you run away? We barely even said hello."About to reply, Alyssa begins to say something but is cut off by a woman' scream."We'd better check that out" Yugi says. "I agree" says Yami. "C'mon!" he shouts over his shoulder to the rest of the group. "Oh great" Joey says. "More running."  
As they round the corner they all stop and stare up towards the sky where giant duel monsters are flying. More were bouncing around on the roofs of buildings. "What's going on here?" Joey says. "There's only one way to find out" the pharaoh says. "Let's pay a visit to Kaiba Corp."  
"Why are we going to Kaiba Corp.?" Tea asks. "Take a look around, Tea." Tristan says. "In case you didn't notice, there's giant duel monster hologram all over the city." "I know that. I have eyes." Tea shoots back. "Then start using them! Someone's duel disk must've gone haywire." "But what's at Kaiba Corp that's so important?" she asks again. The Pharaoh looks at her.  
"Seto Kaiba."  
"I guess you're right. If anyone knows what's going on, it'd be him." Joey says. "That's right. Hey-where'd what-her-name go?" remarks Tristan. "She must have gone back into the museum." Tea says. "You should probably go get her, pharaoh" Yugi says. "After all, she's from ancient Egypt. If nothing else at least you'll know someone from your time."  
"You're right. We'd better go find her before she leaves" Yami says. "You guys start off. I'll be right back" says the pharaoh. "Nuh-uh Yug. We're comin' with ya. We know what you're doing!" says Joey. "Besides, the more of us that look, the quicker we'll find her" says Tea. "How did you-" He began, but is interrupted by Joey. "We can read it plain as day on your face, Yugi. You take a lesson form me:...ah..." "What lesson?" asks Tea. "Honestly, sometimes I wonder if there's a brain in there at all."  
"Hey! I started out good! I just forgot what I was gonna say!" Joey says, defending himself. "You guys!" Tristan interjects "If you keep arguing she's gonna get away. Let's split up." "I'll take the right wing" Tea offers. "And I'll take the left" says Joey. "I'll search the ground" says Tristan. "And I'll take the Egypt exhibit" says Yami. "Let's meet back here in ten minutes" says Tea. "Right. Afterwards we'll go talk to Kaiba."  
They enter the museum once more, each going into their respective areas. Yami was glad to receive the Egypt exhibit. If he remembered correctly, she'd had a notepad earlier and had forgotten it in her sudden flight.  
"Now if I was an Egyptian girl from thousands of years ago, where would I be?" Yugi joked. â€œHow about peering out from behind a statue?" Yami says, pointing at the girl standing behind a sphinx and trying to see around the corner. Quietly he sneaks up behind her. The Pharaoh reaches out a hand and taps her on the shoulder.  
Surprised, she jumps and turns around. "Hello there. We meet again." He says. "My Lord." She says, beginning to bow again, but Yami reaches out a hand to stop her. "I really wish you wouldn't do that" he says. "It is not proper for one to stand in the presence of the pharaoh." She says. "Nor is it my place to even speak. Having broken one rule, I prefer not to break another."   
"But if you are invited to, then you should" Yami says. Softer, he asks her "Why did you run away?" "I did not see any reason to stay." Alyssa replies. "I haven't anything to tell you." "Sure you do" the pharaoh replies. "I told you we'd talk later. Now C'mon. We've got places to go."   
"I'm afraid I don't understand." Alyssa says. "We need to fix what's going on. You saw what happened outside with the duel monsters, didn't you?" "Well, yes," she begins. "But-" "So we're going to talk to Seto Kaiba. He's the only one with the technology to make holograms this big all over the city." Yami says.  
"But why am I coming?" she questions him. "Because if I don't take you with us, you'll run off again and there goes our little chat about Egypt." "I've told you I don't know anything about it. I have no memory of my days there" she repeats. "You have a pad full of notes. I saw it earlier. That's better then what I have." He says. "What do you mean?" she says. "Yami sighs. "I know very little about the time I lived in Egypt. I know I was a pharaoh. I know I helped save the world. That is about all I know, however. You and I are in the same boat in this way. Do you see now, why I am so eager to speak with you?"  
"I guess..." she stutters. "Hey pharaoh!" Yugi shouts. "Ten minutes is up. Time to go." "Right" answers Yami. "Let's go" he says to Alyssa, taking her hand. "Everyone's waiting outside."  
"But- Oh, all right..." Alyssa says, giving in and allowing herself to be led outside. She couldn't place why, but she wanted to be near the pharaoh. Maybe it was because he was right when he said they were in the same boat. She never would have guessed that he couldn't remember his own ancient life. Maybe it was because she needed a friend that could understand what it was like to be in the dark about your own life. Whatever it was, she didn't want to leave in her heart. Her mind told her that she shouldn't be doing this-that she was breaking every code that dictated social status. But something else told her to stay.  
"Oh good, you found her." Joey says as they walk down the steps. "Try not to run away again, okay? We can't go looking for you all day." Tristan says. "Yeah, I mean, it's not like we bite or anything. Well, that is to say, most of us don't" Tea says glancing sideways at Joey. "Yeah, well, I still think we need to keep an eye on her or else she'll slip away again." Joey says. She looks up to object to this, but he flashes her a smile and winks and she knows he's only kidding.

"What's wrong with the system?" "Is Kaiba Corp responsible for the recent monster sightings?" "How long will it take to fix these problems?"  
"People, please, quiet down." An official looking man says to the crowd of reporters anxiously waiting for news from the head of Kaiba Corporation. "We will release a statement later. Right now everything is under investigation."  
"When will we know?" "We want answers!" "The customers have a right to know!" More and more angry questions and accusations come from the reporters. Their questions go unanswered, however, as the man calls security out to help with all the ruckus.   
"Wow. Kaiba Corp is under siege." Joey says as he, Yami, Yugi, Tristan, Tea, and Alyssa look at the chaotic scene. "It looks like we won't be going anywhere soon if it's Kaiba we want" declares Yugi. "Let's go home" "I agree" Yami says. Turning to the others, he says "Let's all go home. Nothing more is going to happen here. I guess we have to wait along with everyone else." "I guess so." Tea says. "We probably wouldn't have gotten much out of him even if we did see him," Tristan remarks.  
"I guess I'd better be on my way then if there's nothing more to see" Alyssa says, trying to slip away. "Nonsense" Tea says pulling her back towards the group. "You have to come back with us. Yugi's grandpa has this really awesome duel monsters shop. Wait 'till you see it!" "Besides, I still want to talk to you about Egypt, even if you don't remember it" The pharaoh adds as she begins to protest.  
"Actually, if you want I'll just give you my notes." She says. "What? Yami exclaims. "I wrote things down hoping they would trigger a memory." At this her face falls. "But it didn't. I only need the first few pages. You can have the rest right now."  
She moves to tear off some of the pages. "That's okay." Yami says. "You're not getting out of coming with us." She sighs. "Well...then I guess we'd better get going if I'm going to be out of your hair before dark."  
"Perfect way to think!" Joey shouts, waving his hands in the air. "The faster you get there, then the faster you can leave." "That doesn't sound very optimistic" Tea says as they start off.


	2. Chapter 2

-- It is night in Egypt. The cooler temperatures bring sweet relief to the sun baked inhabitants. The city is quiet, torches glowing outside on the streets, casting away the shadows. In the homes children sleep as their patents await the news from the palace.  
Suddenly, a messenger runs through the streets. "He has come! The newborn king has come! Everyone is to report to the palace!" The quiet streets become filled and buzzing in the space of a few seconds. Parents rouse their children to tell them of the glorious news.   
"Wake up, children" they say. "We must rush to the palace." Those who had dozed sleepily make their way out of their houses, but they quickly become filled with energy and excitement as they draw nearer to the palace. Light can be seen in all the windows.  
The people push and shove, trying to get as close as possible. In every mind one thought stands alone. "He is come!" They think. "The newborn pharaoh has been born."  
A figure emerges from the palace onto the balcony. In his hands is a small bundle. Pharaoh Akunumkanon steps out. The crowd hushes as he holds out a hand for silence.  
"Today is a glorious day for us all, people of Egypt." He begins, his voice clearly heard. "Today is a glorious day, for we have received our fist born-and only- son. We have received your future pharaoh. People of Egypt! Look upward and hail Atemu Yami Yugi...future pharaoh of all of Egypt!"  
The crowd springs to life as people shout their approval of the white clad babe held high. People clap and bow, showing respect to the future king. Festivities are planned; flutes broken out, drums played as all celebrate the joyous day.  
This all matters not to the young child that is the subject of so much attention. Pharaoh Akunumkanon walks back into the palace room where his wife lays after the tiresome birth. The young prince yawns and stretches his small arms, wriggling around inside his small blanket. The father smiles as he lays down the hour old child with its mother.   
"Isn't he beautiful?" she says, looking to her husband. "We couldn't have wished for a more perfect child." "That's true" her husband says. "Young Atemu will make a wonderful pharaoh, I have no doubt. May peace and prosperity occur throughout his time as king." As he looks down upon the now sleeping child, Pharaoh Akunumkanon couldn't help but smile.

"There really isn't much to tell" Alyssa says. "I know my name was Alyssa and I worked in the palace. I remember I used to help clean the front rooms and move things around, you know, from one side of the palace to the other. That's really about all of it."   
"Wow. She has almost no memory, just like you." Yugi says to Yami as they sit in the living room watching the news. "Hey, maybe if you two can figure out why you both can't remember anything maybe that could help in some way."  
"Good idea" Yami says. He is about to ask her the question when he is interrupted be the TV.  
"And now we have been getting reports of monster sightings from all over the world." The reporter says. "So it isn't just here" Tea remarks. "Weird." "Here is a clip from a press conference held earlier today by Seto Kaiba, president of Kaiba Corporation."  
The room falls silent as a picture of Seto Kaiba plays on the screen. "We've undergone a thorough investigation and now I can say that our company isn't in any way responsible for these recent monster sightings. Our state of the art equipment is working perfectly."   
The clip was over as soon as it had begun and the anchorman had moved onto the next story about a recent burglary. "Well, wasn't that informative?" Tristan jokes. "Can't say I thought he'd admit to something being wrong in his precious company" Joey remarks.  
Suddenly a loud crash is heard in the adjacent room where Yugi's grandfather had been working. Yugi and Yami switch states. As they enter, Mr. Mutou is found on the ground, his cards and equipment strewn about the floor. "Grandpa!" Yugi cries, kneeling to help him. "Yugi" Mr. Mutou sputters out. "They took your cards!" "What cards?" Yugi inquires, a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach. "Your...rarest cards." Mr. Mutou says. "Oh no!" Yugi exclaims. "Not the Egyptian God Cards!"  
A door slams against the wall and all look up to see Alyssa running out the door. Following her, they become blinded by the glare of headlights. Her silhouette visible against the light, they hear laughter coming from four men on motorcycles.  
"Those don't belong to you!" she shouts. "I said give them back!" "And what'll you do if we don't, eh?" One of them says with what sounds like an Australian accent. "I wouldn't want you to know. You shouldn't have nightmares. They deprive you of sleep and make you do stupid things."  
"It's okay" Yami says, coming up behind her, laying a hand on her arm. Immediately the tension disappears. "Those don't belong to you. I suggest you give them back."  
"Ah! There' our pharaoh!" One of the others says. "If you want to get your cards back" says one with a dark voice "All you have to do is beat us in a duel." He is apparently the leader, and he laughs as he turns around and drives off.  
"Câ'mon, Yugi" says Joey, fists clenched. "We're getting' those cards back!" They rush off after the troublesome gang. "I notice that you don't mind running now, Joey." Tea says between breaths. "This is important. That doesn't go to say that I don't wish we had a car though."  
They arrive on the roof of a small building, having noticed one of the bikes parked outside of it. Cautiously they step out into the open. "Where are you?" Yami calls out. "I'm right up here!" Shouts a man clothed in a gray, hooded robe. A strange stone glows around his neck. He is perched on top of a crane, but jumps down when the group arrives. The fall is long, but he somehow manages to leap down without hurting himself.  
"I've been waiting for this day, pharaoh." says the figure. "Today is the day we duel- and I shall soon have your soul to feed the great beast." "I have no idea what you are talking about" says the Pharaoh. "But I do know one thing. Those cards are not yours. Now give them back!"

"And I will, but only if you win. But most likely you will lose this duel, as well as the god cards. Most importantly, I'll take your soul." taunts the hooded man. "Enough talk!" the pharaoh cries. "Let's duel!"  
They hold up their arms as their duel disks become activated. Yami's opens up to be a normal, standard duel disk. The stranger's, however, is of a different hue, and rather than the normal shape, it opens out like a sickle. Panel after panel slides into place, forming the strange shape. But a strange duel disk was not all this stranger possessed...   
And we soon find out too. It is only a few turns into the duel when our stranger draws a mysterious card. He looks up and smiles, chuckling to himself. He believes that he has already won. Of course, his good humor is not yet known to the group.  
"What's so funny?" Our good pharaoh asks, eager to keep this duel going. After all, the Egyptian God Cards are at stake. The stranger ignores him, of course, continuing on in his mirth. "I'm afraid I missed the joke" Yami repeats.  
"You are the joke, pharaoh." The hooded man says. "You are- and the thought that you could even win the duel. For now I play...the Seal of Orycalcos!"  
A large, green circle forms overhead as the man places the strange card. A special slot pops out of his disk- there so the card may be played. It descends, and as it reaches the ground it spins, lines forming a star in the middle, one that closely resembles a pentagram.   
The circle stops spinning.

-- Evening has fallen over the desert sands. Wind blows, scattering the dunes. People make ready for sleep, others beginning to leave their jobs to relax after a hard days work.  
But not everyone is sleeping. Not everyone is leaving.  
"Now, Obelisk, destroy it!" shouts Atemu Yami Yugi, no longer an infant. He has seen eighteen summers pass and stands just a little taller then average height. His hair is spiked and black, with pink on the edges. His bangs fall to the side of his face, blonde. There are two other strands that run parallel to the ground, and yet a few more that make their way towards the points of the spikes.  
His amethyst eyes do not blink as the beast before him takes out that of his opponent. This does not worry either side though, for this is merely a game, a shadow game; the Pharaoh's favorite kind.  
"Well done!" and "Good match!" is shouted to him from the sidelines. Our king is not just the King of Egypt, but the King of Games as well. He has successfully defeated his opponent, his friend, and his royal advisor.  
"A splendid game, my Lord." says Karov, the loser in the fight. "But I have to say I get better every time." "You do." Atemu replies. "I'll have to watch out or pretty soon you'll be beating me." At this everyone laughs. The pharaoh has never lost a game, even playing against the finest adversaries when playing for the first time. It was his gift, the blessing he possessed.  
They exit the underground stadium that was specially made for these events. Indeed, if you were to look at Egypt's area and other buildings, you would notice this was strange, and how difficult this must be. But when a pharaoh says to get something done, you get it done. And so, the stadium was somehow created underground.  
They step out of the long passageway stairs onto the ground floor of the palace. His friends cluster around him, still discussing the Shadow Game. After a few more minutes they decide it's time to leave and, slapping him on the back with another round of "Good Job" 's they leave, headed off to their own homes. They do not live far though, as they are wealthy themselves, and tell him they will see him again tomorrow. The pharaoh nods his head, smiles, and wishes them goodbye.  
Tired from the duel, the pharaoh walks to his room. It takes energy and skill to summon these monsters, not to mention it is hard work. He passes by a room, but slows down for a moment, walking back. There is a mysterious melody echoing out of the room.  
Actually, this room has another door in it, one that leads to the outer balcony of the palace. From there you can see a view of the city stretched out, a million torch lights little dots glowing in the distance. There are benches for people to sit on spaced out along the balcony.   
On one of these benches sits a girl. Her back is to our pharaoh. Her long, blonde hair is a waterfall of golden sunshine in the firelight. Her dress is plain and white, with short sleeves. She is playing a strange instrument that resembles a large shell. There are holes where her fingers touch, the head of the shell able to spin. One long branch sticks out. This is where the air is blown in. It comes out through holes left uncovered and through a small slit at the end. She is still oblivious to his presence.  
"That's a lovely song" the Pharaoh says, leaning against the door frame. "You play it well." Her notes have stopped, not aware she has an audience. "Why, thank you." She says. Turning around, she begins "Actually, I- oh!"  
Now that she is fully turned around she can see who it is she speaks too. Immediately she gets on her knees, bowing her head at his feet. So suddenly did she do this that it made the pharaoh straighten up in shock.  
"Please- forgive me, I- I did not know it was you I was speaking to." She stutters stumbling over her words. "I would have shown the proper respect had I known you were the pharaoh. I- I apologize, my Lord."  
"It's okay, take it easy. No big deal" He says, slightly embarrassed by this action. Eager to get off the subject, he bends down and takes the shell out of her hand. "This is a rather strange instrument. I haven't seen it before, much less heard it played." "That's because I am the only one I know of that can play it." She replies. "Really?" the Pharaoh says, interested. "Where did you get this?" "I didn't" she says. "You didn't buy this?" he questions. "Then how did you get it?"   
She hesitates. "I saw it in a dream." She tells him. "I saw what I needed to do to make it. I found what I needed and created it myself. That is why no one else has one or can play." "Surely if you taught someone they could. Do you mind if I try?"  
"Of course, my Lord." she says, her head still down. The pharaoh picks it up, looking at it, trying to get his fingers to look as hers did. Figuring he had it close enough, he tried to imitate the way she'd moved it. All that came out were a few squeaks, a meep, and a squawk.  
She begins to laugh a little at this. "Well, no one does it right on the first try." The pharaoh says, slightly embarrassed. At this she stops. "I'm so sorry- I- I didn't mean to insult you. Of course no one gets it right on the first try-I- I was being silly. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have-" "You know you don't have to worry. I'm not mad." The pharaoh says as she begins to rush into another apology.  
"Thank you" she begins, breathing a sigh of relief. She is interrupted by another voice, however. "Breaks over!" a voice shouts from inside the building. At this she looks up, slightly. "I'm afraid that I must return to work now, my Lord. Unless, you would rather have me stay." She adds in a voice that once more shows her uncertainty about what she should be doing.  
"It's okay." The pharaoh replies. "I wouldn't want you to get into trouble." She stands, still looking at the ground however. "Perhaps we can talk of this again sometime." The pharaoh says. "Yes, perhaps." She replies, filled with doubt. He wouldn't be asking and she knew it. He hands her her shell. "Have a good night." He says, as he leaves to go to his room for the evening.  
As he does so, she sees his cape swish along after him. She glances at the shell in her hands and sighs. "Well...back to work."


	3. Chapter 3

"The Seal of Orycalcos?" Yami says as he looks down towards the ground at the strange circle. Tea, Tristan, Joey, and Alyssa have been pushed outside of the circle. They can not seem to break into it. "Yes- the Seal of Orycalcos." The hooded stranger replies. "It has a few nice effects to it. For one thing, it allows my monsters to gain an extra five hundred attack points!" he shouts, as his monsters grow stronger.

"Then I'll use this to get rid of it!" the pharaoh shouts as he places down a card. "My card allows me to remove any magic card from play, and I choose your Seal." The card has the picture of a tornado on it. It begins to go to the circumference of the circle. All wait to see the magical card of the hooded man destroyed.

But it isn't. It remains. It appears that the card played did nothing to remove it. "The seal is a magic far older then time itself. It can't be destroyed by the use of a simple magic card."

"You should know I am no stranger to ancient magic myself." Yami says. "Witness the power of my millennium puzzle!" He says. The puzzle that hangs around his neck begins to glow, and a strange, eye like mark appears on his forehead. It goes to dispel the strange circle, but it fails and is broken instead.

"What's going on?" the Pharaoh says, confused. "I've told you. The Orycalcos is the strongest magic ever known. It can not be beaten. Not by a card, and not by your silly millennium puzzle." The man says smugly. "And now, I grow tired of this duel, which seems to not offer any challenge. And so I shall finish it up now- with this!" "Is this guy nuts?" Joey says to his friends on the sidelines. "Yugi's got the strongest monster on the field. Heck- the only thing that could beat him now would be-" At this he realizes what's going on. "No! Not the…Egyptian God Cards!"

"That's right! The man says." "The gods can only be used by certain duelists." Yami warns him. "You can not use them." "I can use them, and I will. The strongest of the Egyptian God Cards is now infused by the power of the Orycalcos. Nothing can beat it! It is invincible!"

"Nothing is invincible. Yami explains to the hooded man. "Each card has its strengths, and each card has its weaknesses." "Nothing can beat the power of an Egyptian God Card- not when it is infused with the power of the Orycalcos!" The man shouts, but he seems to be a little unsteady on his feet. He puts a hand up to his aching head. The Orycalcos doesn't mix well with the God cards.

"Your monster has four thousand attack points. I haven't a monster on the field with that much. But I can still take it down if I use this!" he says, holding up a card. "Brave attack! First, I have to sacrifice some of my monsters." Some of his monsters disappear. "To bring back one of my monsters from the graveyard!" One of his monsters returns. "Now I separate my monsters into the three they were that made it up." They separate, and he sends the first two in to attack.

"Hah!" the bearded man laughs. "Your monster is too weak. It won't even scratch Obelisk." "Actually, I see a very big scratch." Yami says. "Brave attack adds the points of the monsters attacking together. Your monster has 4000- that means I still need 1500. And that's exactly what I have left! Go Beta- the magna warrior!"

His monster goes in and with a slash adds his points to the other. And the Egyptian God Obelisk has once more been brought down by the pharaoh. "No! This is impossible!" the bearded man shouts. "Oh well. I'm not out yet."

He plays another few cards and all of a sudden he has ten monsters on the field. "Hey! That's cheatin' pal!" Joey shouts again. "Read the duelist handbook- only five monsters are allowed out on the field at one time!" he says, reciting the page and paragraph number as well. "The Seal allows me to double the number of monsters I have out on the field." He says to Joey. "And the other beauty of this is you can't attack my back row of monsters until you get through my front row!" he laughs. The duel proceeds a little bit longer, and it looks worse and worse for our pharaoh as each turn passes. But it all changes when he draws another card. His deck always seems to pull through for him.

Our pharaoh draws a card that allows his dark magician girl to attack, her power growing in strength with each monster she destroys. She not only gets through the front row, but through the back row as well. And of course, her attack hits the arrogant, bearded man who never should have challenged the King of Games.

"No! Master- have mercy!" He shouts, as the Seal of the Orycalcos begins to shrink. An odd green light descends down over the man as his life points reach zero. The Seal encloses around him. "Take Obelisk!" He shouts to his companions, who merely sit there and watch the proceedings. He throws it to them, and they catch it. The Seal disappears as the man slumps to the ground, motionless.

The group runs up to him He is breathing, but he is unresponsive. The pharaoh looks up. "I believe you have something that belongs to me." He says. "And what would that be?" The deep voiced, blonde haired one says. "Give him back his cards!" Joey shouts, shaking a fist in the air. "We had a deal." The pharaoh says angrily. "Really? Our deal was that you had to beat _all_ of us. Not just one of us. If you want the Egyptian God Cards, you'll have to take us all down in a duel." "I like the blonde one." The Australian man with the accent says. "He reminds me of me self, only more stupid and less attractive."

"I don't care. You're mine though, pharaoh. It'll be fun to take you down." The Blonde haired one says. "Shouldn't we be going?" Another asks, with ruby shaded hair. They begin to walk towards their bikes.

"Wait a second- where's Alyssa?" Yugi says as he peers around the group. "I don't know." Yami says back to him. Above them, they hear a "Hey- What the-"

They turn to look up and see the silhouettes of the three bikers and one smaller one. "She's gonna get herself killed!" Tristan says. "I dunno" Joey says as he sees her swing a roundhouse kick into the stomach of the ruby haired one. "She looks like she's doing pretty good to me."

The three circle around her. "We need to find a way up there!" Tea shouts. Two of them rush in. She dodges to the back, as they hit into each other. "Maybe she is doing okay." Tristan says.

The blonde haired one is not as dumb as the others though. He doesn't leave himself vulnerable to the attacks. Indeed he blocks a good few of them. Behind her, the Australian one gets up as the blonde haired one rushes her. She dodges out of the way…and gets her arms caught by the Australian. The ruby haired one is up now too. "Or maybe we should get in there." Joey says.

As they come nearer, she lashes out with a foot that catches the ruby in the chin. The sudden extra weight causes the Australian to fall. She rolls out and stands up. Her back is to the edge of the building's roof. The blonde one helps the others up. "Why do you persist in being so annoying?" He asks. "Those cards don't belong to you." She says, getting into another fighting stance. "He needs those cards. And I suggest you give them back."

"Would you mind calling off your little friend, pharaoh?" The brown haired one calls out. "We don't want to be seeing anyone get hurt now, do we?" "Of course not." She says. "And you won't be getting hurt if you just return those cards." This makes him angry, and he tries to knock her down. She bends backwards, missing his push, and kicks, hitting him squarely in the back. Then, quick as lightening, she kicks the deck out of the belt of the one who has the stolen cards. It's a lot worse then fifty two pick up.

Unfortunately, this maneuver left her off balance and she falls to the ground. The other two jump on the cards on the ground, looking for the precious three and trying to pick them up at the same time. It's a little too late though. Searching through the cards, she finds the trio. Rolling over backwards, she stands up on one leg, dangerously close to the edge of the roof. A shot rings out. The blonde haired one has pulled out a hidden revolver and has unloaded a round into the sky above.

"Alyssa!" the group shouts from below. "I'm fine" she calls back, turned to face the man once more. "Give me back the cards." He says in a cold, calm voice. "Unless you want me to fire another round into your flesh." "In that case, you can go right ahead. I'm not giving up these cards and I'm not afraid of you…_or_ your gun."

He points the gun at her head. "I'll give you one last chance." He says, cocking the pistol. 'Alyssa! Just give him the cards! It's not worth losing your life over. We'll get them back later." Yami calls up. "But you need them!" She shouts back, not taking her eyes off the man standing before her. "That wasn't a request." the Pharaoh shouts. "That was an order. From your pharaoh."

She stands momentarily. Then, slowly, she walks up and hands the cards back to the man. She grips onto them still, and he has to pull them to get them out of her hand. "I'm so glad you see the light." He teases her.

"I only handed them to you because I refuse to disrespect the Gods. I didn't want to give them back. I did that because I was told to." "Never the less" he says, turning around.

Suddenly, he turns and swings a kick into her stomach, knocking her off of the roof. Thinking quickly, she grabs onto the hook of the crane. The group runs towards her. "Hold on!" Yami shouts. "There's something on it-" she says as she tries to get a better grip on the hook, which her hands keep sliding off of. "I can't hold on!" she says. And with that, her hands slip off entirely and she falls towards the ground.

The pharaoh speeds up and catches her just in time. The force from the long drop causes the pair to fall down backwards. "Are you okay?" he asks, concerned. "I'm fine." She mumbles. "Just a little sha- you're arm!" she stops. "What?" Yami says, looking at his arm. There is a small cut on it where his elbow hit the pavement. Blood dribbles out. "You're hurt." She says. "It's just a little cut." He says. "It'll heal in a few days."

"You shouldn't have caught me." She says, standing up. "If I didn't you could have broken something or worse." He says. "But you're _hurt_!" she repeats. "It's nothing." He says. "It's a little scrape. You're over reacting." "I thank you for your help. But I've been around long enough. And I'm sorry about your arm." She adds on, looking away. "I think that I should get going now."

She begins to walk off. The pharaoh reaches out to grab her arm and pull her back, but she avoids his grasp. Running now, she disappears down the fire escape on the side of the building. They walk over to the edge to look for her, but the alley is clear, and there is no sign of her.

"No offense, Yugi" says Joey. But that girl's a little strange."


	4. Chapter 4

-- It is dark in Egypt. Winds rustle outside the land yearning for trees. Our same girl from earlier begins the trek home. She is tired from he rlong day of work. In present times it would be about midnight, but all she thought was of the position of the moon. Coins jingled in her hand as she walked to the vendors. A few stayed up at this time of night for those that were working in the palace. They got out late and arrived early. Because of this there was very little competition between the merchants.

She walks over to one. "The usual?" he asks her. "Yes." She replies simply. Not many words are spoken. She had learned long ago that it was fruitless to try and begin conversations with others. He bundles together the amount of food she usually asks for, enough for one day at a time, and hands it to her. She carries it in a basket with the robes and other articles of clothing she takes home to mend. Though she was grateful for her steady job at the palace, it did not pay all the bills…

This same girl walks into her house. As she walks in she does not light the oil lamp. Oil is expensive and she only used it if she absolutely had to. The wind blew the flame of the street torch so that a glimmer of light flickered into her home. It was all the light she needed.

Placing the food on the little table that it went on, she went over to the water jugs. They were nearly empty again. The last bit of remaining water she did not drink, but used to clean the few dishes that were left on the table. She did not believe in allowing crusted food to remain on these plates and dutifully washed them each night, though some in Egypt did not think it was necessary.

Before she got to work she dutifully checked on her parents that were quietly sleeping in the other room. Softly she heard them snoring and smiled. She had done this every night for many, many years. Thinking that she would not have her orders finished in time if she did not get to work she turned away from the pleasant scene.

Sitting down on her mat in the corner of the room, she takes out a dress. It was to be ready in two days time. She went to work, busily making the small and precise stitches that many craved for. She did not just mend clothes, but made them as well. This acted as the rest of her income. After about an hour's time she replaced it into the basket with the others. She was nearly done with the other orders. She could finish them during lunch the next day. It had been a long day for her however, and she was dreadfully tired. Closing her eyes she slept, knowing that she must wake at the dawn to prepare for the upcoming day. There was the run to the river, where she had to refill the jugs for the day. Then she had to drop of the finished bits of clothing. Then it was off to work at the palace again. She let out a long breath in her sleep and snuggled in to the soft piece of cloth that she used as a pillow. And in her sleep

She smiled.

Joey and Tristan walked down the street, making jokes back and forth about what the other had been doing that day. "I'm telling you, it's those friggin' keys! If they weren't so small, I would have OWNED you." "Well man, you had better learn how to press the X button if you plan on beating me anytime soon." Joey says. "Yeah, yeah, yeah. I can take care of myself on the street. Who cares if you can beat me at some stupid virtual game? Pssht! Like I care." Tristan replies, looking away. "Yeah, you might try to sound like you don't wish you had these kind of gaming skills that I have, but I really know you do!" Joey repeats, placing his hands behind his head and looking up at the clouds in the sky. "So much for those skills. Did you see the look on your face when that nine year old beat you? Ha! I thought you were gonna die!" "I wouldn't be talking if I were you, Mr. I couldn't get past level two!" Joey says, stopping now and looking at his friend. "Well, if you didn't screw up and hit the wrong person, I would have gotten _farther_!" "Don't blame me for your poor tactics!" "I'm gonna kick you're a-"

They are interrupted by the tingle of a bell. Stepping aside for a moment, they back up. " 'Scuse me, I was just about to teach this good for nothing _chump_ here a lesson!" Joey says. "Yeah, well I'm about to trounce this litte…_Wha?_" they both say as they see the figure of a blonde headed girl trying to walk away from them as quickly as possible. "Hey- wasn't that-" "Alyssa, yeah!" Tristan says, having interrupted Joey. They run and catch up to her, going in front of her. "Hey Alyssa!" Joey says smiling and waving. "We didn't know you lived around here." Tristan says. "Oh, well, that's okay." She says nervously, trying to get around them. Blocking her, they ask, "So. Where do you live around here?" Joey says. "Oh…around." She says, evading the question, once more trying to get past them. "You want help bringing that home?" Tristan says, eying the brown paper grocery bag. "Oh no, I'm fine, thank you." She says, trying to push in between them this time without success. "What's the hurry?" Joey asks as she tries to walk out into the street to get around them. "It's nothing I just-" "want to put your stuff down?" Tristan says. Looking around and grasping at straws she says, "Yes, so if you could please just" "Just help you bring this home? Why certainly." Tristan says as he pulls the bag out of her hands. She gives a little gasp as they leave her hands. She tries to reach for them to get them back but Tristan moves them away from her. "No, I've got them now." Tristan says. "It's no problem. Besides, we want to talk to you." "But I-" she begins to say, but Joey cuts her off. "what, you're house dirty? That don't mean nothin'. Tristan and I don't care." No, it's not that, just-" "Don't want to let two stranger sin?" Tristan jokes. "You're not strangers, and that's not it, just-" "Man, you must like peanut butter." Joey says as he looks in the bag. "What else you got in there? Peanut butter…peanut butter…three loaves of bread. Hey! You forgot to buy some jelly!" Joey jokes. "Can I just have my stuff back?" She says reaching to take it, but Tristan moves it. "Come on! We just want to walk with you." He says. Besides, if you don't want to see us anymore you can kick us out when we get there." She stops and tries to catch Tristan off guard, but he evades her once more and takes a few steps. "No. You're not getting it back until we get there. What kind of person would I be to make you-"

"FINE!" she shouts. "Just…fine!" she says again. "Keep it! I don't need it anyway!" she says and hurries off down the street. Chasing after her, Tristan and Joey yell "Hey wait! "You forgot your stuff!" She darts down alley after alley as they pursue her. "She aint gonna lose me so easy!" Joey says. "Really? Good! Then you lead because I have no idea where she went." "What?" Joey says coming to a screeching halt. "I thought you were leading?" he says. "I was following you!" Tristan says. "Oh great!" They both say, eye to eye. "This is all your fault!" Joey says. "Shut up for a second, man!" Tristan says, tilting his head. "Don't you tell me to shut up!" Joey says, pointing a finger towards him. "You just-" "SHHH!" Tristan says. "Eh?" Joey says, now listening as well.

They turn into another alley way and see a tent hidden on the other side of a dumpster. Coming closer they hear Alyssa's voice." "Now, if I cut it down to one and a half pieces a day, then I can get through until the next time without wasting any of the other money. But then I can't- ah!" She exclaims as Joey and Tristan pull up the flap to the broken tent. It's circular, and sitting squarely in the middle is Alyssa. Around her is a small pile of change, a red shoulder bag (like a backpack, almost), an old can of peanut butter, and a dry, half eaten loaf of bread.

"What are you doing in here, Alyssa?" Tristan says, wide eyed. She just sits there in shock and looks at the two of them. "Yeah!" Joey says. "What about your hou…se…oh…" he says, embarrassed. He sees Tristan looking at him. "You are such a moron." He says. As if she broke out of her spell, she says "I don't need it. Just go away. Leave me alone!" she grabs her bag and pushes her way out of the tent. Joey and Tristan stumble back in there surprise. She starts to run, but Joey catches her arm. "Wait." He says. "No…let go of me!" she says, trying to pull her arm out of Joey's grip, which only gets tighter. She steps on his foot, "Gaah!" he exclaims, releasing her to hold his aching foot as he hops up and down. She turns to flee again, but Tristan blocks her path. Backing up, she hits into Joey, who stumbles slightly, off balance. He straightens up and just says simply "Hey, that hurt? Why'd ya have to go and do that for?" "Ehah." She says, looking between the two of them, blocked on both sides. "Back off you two. Don't make me…don't make me do to you what I did to those other guys last night!"

"Would you really do that to one of us?" Tristan says. "Yeah, come on! We're your friends!" Joey says. "Friends or not, I'm leaving without you. Now… now get out of my way before I have to do something I'm going to regret!" She says. "See? You don't want to do anything!" Joey says smiling. He walks up to her. She pulls her arm back, getting ready to stun him, but feels it grabbed by something. Looking up she sees Tristan holding her arm. "If you really want to do something, now would be the time to do it." He says. She tenses her body and tries to pull her arm away, but he has too firm a grasp on it. Sighing, she allows her body to relax and falls against him.

"That's better." Tristan says, relaxing his grip a little but still not letting his guard down. "Now, if I let your arm go, do you promise not to run?" She simply sighs. "Do you?" he says, tightening his hold on her again. She pauses for a second and then merely nods her head. "Okay then." He says, and releases her. She straightens up. "Now just wait a bit while we sort all this out." he says. After talking it over for a few minutes with Joey ,he tells her, "Get your stuff." She picks up her bag and stands up. A few feet away, Joey has pulled out a cell phone. "Yugi?" he says, glancing over at Alyssa. Tristan has put his arm around her shoulders as she looks at the ground. "Yeah…we got a problem."


	5. Chapter 5

--The sun is up over Egypt land, as its people mill about their daily lives. Merchants call in the streets, advertising their goods. People walk to and fro, between shops. Children play in the streets while mothers mend torn tunics and fathers go to work building all kinds of things, from toys to buildings. Workers pick the grain in the fields and tend to cattle.  
In the palace many work as well. The chefs work in the kitchens, preparing meals. There are those who are still constructing rooms of the palace, adding some on. People come here to learn, to practice arts, and many things.  
There is another group, which merely cleans the floors of this palace. Each day they come in. Sometimes they are sent to different rooms. The front room of the palace always has to endure cleaning due to the heavy traffic that passes through each and every day. The throne room, the dining room…each room in turn is cleaned. But the rooms are so massive that it takes an entire group of people to clean one whole room each day. They sit on the ground, pushing either their towels or brushes across the smooth gold inlaid white marble and stone tiles.  
Working in one of the corners is our girl, at work. Obviously not lazy, she does her best to ensure that her section is clean. The others do not work so hard. They have become bored and were never thrilled with this job anyway. They do not put their energy into scrubbing the floor that is cleaned day after day after day…no matter if it was spotless or caked with mud.  
It is as she dips her worn out brush into her pail to get some more water that a man taps her on the shoulder. She looks up at him, expecting him to tell her that they need help moving more boxes or such things, as each does other odd jobs around the palace as well. When she says the pharaoh is asking to see her, however, her jaw drops and her brush falls to the ground with a clatter. "Will you go to see him?" the man says. Stunned for a moment, she does not answer. Then, blinking, she says "Y-yes. Of course…I'll come right now." She says, getting up. Following him, she can't help but wonder why she is being called to see him. He stops outside a room and merely says that the pharaoh is waiting inside for her and to continue ahead.  
She enters the room. A golden staircase leads up to the Pharaoh's seat atop a platform. The stairs are placed one on top of another; it seems to her as if it is platform upon platform, getting smaller and smaller in length as it grows closer and closer to the top platform, upon which is a throne. And atop this thrown sits our pharaoh. Coming to the middle of the platform, she gets onto her knees as she did the night before, trembling.  
"Do you know why you were brought here?" the pharaoh asks casually. "N-No…" she says. "I've done nothing to be honored for, so all I can think of is that I must have done something wrong. I apologize, my Lord, if I in anyway angered, offended, or caused you displeasure last night during the time we spoke. I'm deeply sorry, and I will accept any punishment as just. I would never do something to harm my pharaoh in any way, and once again ask…beg you for your forgiveness."  
At this she falls silent, shaking, waiting to hear what he has to say. "Who told you this, your friends?" he asks her. "No…I merely assumed that I…that I had done something wrong. Why else would you call for me? I am merely a peasant. I'm not one that a pharaoh would usually call on." She answers.  
"Well." he says, standing up and descending, "If you've done something wrong I have yet to hear about it." Reaching her he places his hand under her elbow and makes her rise. "I told you, you don't need to do that." He says. Looking at the ground she says "Thank you, my Lord." And is silent once more. "What I wished to talk to you about was that instrument you had last night. You wouldn't happen to have it with you, would you?" He asks curiously. Stuttering over her words, she replies "Well, yes, I do. I mean, no I don't. I mean, yes, but, it's with my bag in the other room."  
"Ah." He merely says. "Well, I was hoping that perhaps you might play it for me sometime?" After a moment of shock, she says "Yes, my Lord. It would be my pleasure to." "Is there anyway you could make it tonight?" he asks her. "Yes…I can. After…after work. Unless you need me sooner, that is." She rushes to say.   
"Wonderful!" he exclaims. "I'll be in my room then. All you have to do is tell them that. I'll leave word for them to let you through." He says. "Thank you, my Lord." She says. "Was there anything else you wished to ask of me?" she asks him. "No, thank you. You may leave now, if you wish." He says. "Then until tonight." She says in goodbye. "Yes. Tonight." He says, watching her as she begins to walk out.  
"Wait a moment." He calls out to her. She stops and turns. "Yes my Lord? Was there something else?" she asks nervously. "What's your name?" He says.  
"Alyssa." 

"You have no HOUSE?" Yami exclaims as they once again sit in the middle of Yugi's living room. Joey is relaxing in a chair in the corner of the room, while Yami is pacing in the space between the wooden coffee table and the couch. Tea is sitting on the couch as Tristan is sprawled out on the other end. "How could you not tell me something like that?" He asks, looking at her.  
"I didn't think it was all that important." She says, looking away from him and at the floor. He stops and turns to look at her. "Not important? How is that not important?" "I got along just fine on my own." She says. "Yes, perhaps you did, but I could have helped you. You could have stayed here." At this she smiles. "Right. Me stay with the pharaoh." "What's so funny?" he says, sitting in between Tea and Tristan. "It's just that…you're a pharaoh and I'm…"  
"Not?" Yami finishes for her. "Yes, exactly." She says. "You realize how insane it would be for someone like me to live with the pharaoh?" "And why is that?" asks Yami, slightly offended. Hearing this in his voice, she stops smiling and a worried expression grips her face. "Oh…it's nothing…no reason… just…well, I just thought…just thought that" "Just thought that perhaps we might not want you?" "Well, yeah, and" "And that you might be considered a burden?" "That too, but," "that peasant and pharaoh don't belong together?" "Yes!" she says.  
"That's ridiculous." He says. I'm no more a pharaoh right now then you are one of my subjects." He says. "Well, that's only because we aren't in Egypt right now!" She says. "Yes, but that doesn't matter. What does matter is that you don't have a house, we have an extra room, and you're staying in it." "But-"she goes to interject, looking up for a moment and then quickly returning her gaze to the floor as Yami interrupts her. "That wasn't an option. You are staying here and that's final." "Not in the same house!" she says. "I don't deserve it!" "Deserve what?" Yugi asks, looking around. Everything was pretty much normal stuff to him. Nothing fancy. "Well where are you going to go? Back to the alley?" "Well, yes! I don't see why not." She says. "I got along just fine. And besides, my stuff is still there." "What stuff?" Joey says, looking at his fingernails. "You had a can of peanut butter and a tent."  
"That was a very good tent!" She says a little angrily, looking up at him. "Oh yeah? How so?" "It kept me dry when it rained, warm when it was cold, and it gave me a place to sleep at night." "All things that an actual house could do, and could do a million times better, I assure you." Yami says. 'But-" "Oh come on, I'm sure the tent leaked a little when it rained, right?" Tristan asks. "Well, just a little, but-" "And did it really keep you warm in the winter? Because I know I was freezing my Aaaanchovies off" Joey fixes himself as Tea gives him an evil glare. "Well, kinda, but-" "See? When you think about it, it wasn't all that good now, was it?" Yami says. "It worked just fine for me!" she says, a little frustrated now. "Stop picking on me!" she shouts. "I don't know why I even bothered coming here." She says. "I knew I should have just left when you weren't looking." She says, glaring at Tristan and Joey. "Thanks, but no thanks. I'll see you guys later." She picks up her bag and prepares to leave, but Yami stands up and grabs onto the strap. "Let go of my bag." She says, turning towards him, looking at the part he is holding on to. "No." he simply states. "Please let go of my bag?" she asks him again, a note of hope in her voice.  
"No." he says. "Fine. Then you can have it…I don't need that either." She says releasing it. "Alyssa…" Yami starts off. "What?" she says. "Sit down." He tells her. "No." she says, walking away. "That wasn't a request!" he calls out to her. She pauses for a moment, then turns back and sits down on the couch, her head in her hands. "Why do you like to torture me?" she asks as he places her bag next to her on the couch. "Torture you? I'm trying to get you a place to sleep at night and you're refusing to take it. I don't exactly see how you consider that torture." He says.  
"How am I going to pay for it?" she bursts out. "I can't afford a house on my own or else I would have one! So how am I going to pay for this? I can't. So thanks, but no thanks. I can do just fine on my own."  
"Why would you have to pay rent?" Yami says. "You don't need to do that." "Oh yes I do!" She says. "The only thing worse then staying at a place you really shouldn't be is staying a place you really shouldn't be and staying there for free." "We just want to help" Tea says. "I don't need your help!" Alyssa says. "All I need you to do is forget we ever met! Just forget all about me!" she says. "You don't really mean that." Says Tristan. "Actually, I really think I do." Quieter, she says. "I'm thankful that you guys want to help me…I really am. But I can't stay. I have my reasons. So just…just forget about me, okay? Just leave me alone." She sighs as the room gets quiet. "Can I leave now?" she asks.  
Yami gets up and sits down next to her. He takes her hand and looks at her, while she looks at the floor. Turning her face so that she looks at him, he says "No. And you're staying. And that's final." She sighs and returns her gaze to the carpet. "Are you sure?" she asks, defeated. "Yes. I'm sure." He tells her. "What about my stuff?" She mumbles. "We can get that later." He tells her. "And…if you really want…you can put your tent up in the back." The rest of the group looks at him in astonishment.  
"Really?" she asks. The pharaoh sighs. "Yes. If that would make you happier…though I would prefer if you would stay inside the house." "No, that's okay. The backyard is enough." She says. "…Thanks." She adds on.  
Yugi sighs, as does the rest of the group. "All that for nothing?" he asks Yami. "Not nothing." Yami tells him. "At least she's going to stick around." "I guess so." Yugi replies.  
"Well, now that that's over, can I ask you something that's been on my mind?" Joey says, sitting up and looking at Alyssa. She merely looks at him and gives him the okay. "Well…seeing as how you live in a tent and everything…how come you don't smell?" Everyone laughs. "I mean, seriously. I've seen some hobos before and they smell plenty." "She's not a hobo!" Tea says. "That's right" Tristan says. "She's 'residentially challenged.' " Everyone laughs again.  
"Actually," Alyssa says. "I go to the high schools. When all the kids are in Gym, I make use of the locker rooms. And since no one is around, I don't have to worry about anyone spying on me." "And in the summer?" Joey asks. "Well, some kids fail gym, and there is always summer school. Not to mention I'm a pretty handy lock pick, so when worse comes to worse I can just get in that way."  
"Doesn't it get hot?" Tea asks. "I know I couldn't stand to be in these heat waves all the time." "Well, I spend a lot of time in the library, so I don't really have to worry about that. It's nice and cool with the air conditioning." "And in the winter?" Joey asks again. "They have the heat on in the winter." She says plainly. "What about at night?" He asks. The library isn't open at night."  
"Ah…no, it isn't." She says. "Usually I just grin and bear it. The tent helps though." She adds on, should anyone question its usefulness. "And we still-" "Need to get it, yes, we know." Tristan says. "What about food?" Tristan asks. "Do you always eat peanut butter and bread, or do you treat yourself to a little jelly every now and then?"  
"Well…" she says. "Eh… usually I go for what is cheap and I know won't spoil." "So what's that? Canned stuff?" Joey says, playing with a string on his shirt. "I don't exactly have a microwave…or electricity…" she says, a little embarrassed. "So what is it then?" "Eh…usually I go for what is cheap and I know won't spoil." She repeats herself, blushing slightly. "So, peanut butter it is!" he says. She smiles. "Anything else?" she asks.   
Tea asks "How did you pay for things?" "Well, mainly I just picked up pennies when I found them on the ground. I did a lot of odd jobs though, whenever I could get them. No one would hire me because they all said I was too young, so I couldn't just get a steady job. I tried virtually everywhere too…" "So how much ya got?" Joey asks jokingly. "Two hundred and twenty six dollars." She says to him. "Wha?" Joey says, looking up. "How did you get that? I heard you trying to figure out how long you could go without peanut butter and-" "I wasn't squabbling over peanut butter." She says quickly as she sees Yami looks at her. "And I saved it…I don't like having to use it." "Well, I can see that!" Joey says. "Why are you saving it?" Tea asks her. "Because I was hoping I could catch a plane to Egypt…maybe figure out why I'm here." She says, looking down once more.  
"Oh." They all say, and there is a small, awkward moment in which nobody speaks. The pharaoh squeezes her hand and she smiles a little. "Well, I guess we had better go and get that tent then." Tristan says.


	6. Chapter 6

--The pale moon shines above the yellow sands of the ancient land as fire burns on the street corners. Weary workers make their way home as their day has ended. People sleep in their homes, and all is quiet.   
One girl roams the halls of the palace still, as do a few who work during the night. She stares in awe at the high ceilings and works of art that abound in every corner. She has never been to this part of the palace before.  
Her guide calls to her and she snaps back to reality. But still, her mind can't help but wander as she follows and the guide has to remind her to keep close and not in her reveries and daydreams.  
Eventually, they reach the second floor of the palace. Climbing the majestic staircase she takes hold of the hand rail, marveling at how smooth it is. Their steps echo as they ascend the golden stairs. They reach the top and the guide tells her "Continue to go forward. His room is the last on the right".  
Before her stretches a long hallway. On each side are rooms that are larger then her entire house! Most seem to be vacant, but they are clean and ready to go at a moment's notice. Her footsteps carry alone as she clutches the shell in her hand. She stares at the ceiling, gazing at the symbols of the gods that have been carved into them. At last she nears the end. There are two gaurds outside the last room. She walks up to them and stutters, once more nervous.  
"I…uh, I….I have an…an appointment with…with…" She trails off as the two look at her. They look stern and serious and seem to be glaring at her. She backs away a few steps, thinking that she has made a mistake. He did say he'd leave word to be expecting her. A moment of fear passes over her as she questions whether or not he may have changed his mind. What if he was already asleep? What if she woke him up?  
"I must have the wr-"She begins, trying to think of a way to get herself out of what she deemed, a horrible mess. A man walks out of the room. "Oh, it is you." He smiles. "He thought he heard you." He turns into the room. "Yes, it is she, sire." Once more he turns to look at her. "Come in. He's been expecting you."   
She gives the gaurds a wan smile as they part to allow her in. She scurries inside the room as quickly as she can, and stops almost as son as she enters. The room is positively enormous. The pharaoh's bed looks as if it was the size of the front room of her house. It is sitting atop a platform itself, and sitting upright inside the bed is the pharaoh. He smiles at the sight of her. She gets on one knee and bows to him as is the custom. "I thought I heard you outside." He says. "I'm glad to see you are here. I was beginning to worry that you weren't coming."  
"I would never miss an appointment with my pharaoh." She states. Adding a little more nervously, she says "I got lost. I don't usually come to this side of the palace." He chuckles. "Well, better late then never. I've been looking forward to this all day. So, what is it you plan on playing?"  
Her heart stops cold. She had been so busy earlier and so fascinated at the sights in all the hallways and rooms that she had not thought to think of a song! She hesitates before saying, "I do know one song. It was the one you heard me playing outside."  
"Wonderful!" he exclaims. "A fine choice!" She lets out a breath she didn't realize she was holding and rises to her feet. She raises her instrument to her mouth and closes her eyes. Then she begins to play.   
Her delicate fingers move across the holes as she twists the head so that the notes come out, and oh what notes they are! Her song sings of the sunrise over the sea, a bird's adventure as it soars and glides through the air on a warm summer's breeze. Visions of waterfalls and watery caverns flit through the mind. A sunset with a painted sky dances across the eyes as the grand finale. She stops, opening her eyes, and lets down her shell. Nervously she looks at the others in the room, trying to read their reactions. A few seem to be in shock. Indeed, one or two appear as if they have had cold water thrown in their face. The pharaoh, however, sits smiling, resting his head on top of his interlocked fingers, his elbows propping himself up on the bed. His eyes she does not meet, however, and does not notice the satisfied smile and mirth in the windows to his soul.  
She glances around, fidgeting trying to think of a way to leave. She opens her mouth, ready to give an excuse, although the only that has come to mind is "I forgot something, and I have to go." Pathetic as it is, she prepares to deliver it. Before she even gets the first word out, however, the pharaoh says "Very good." And sits up. Now her mouth hangs open due to her speechlessness at the compliment. "Thank you." She somehow manages to get out. "Is there anything else you know?" he asks her, his head tilted to one side. "Well," she begins, clearly having not expected to be asked such a question. "I'm afraid not." She says. "I'm usually busy during the week working, so I don't have much time to play. These past two days have been the first opportunities I've really had for a while." She explains.  
"Mhmm." He says. The pharaoh thinks for a few seconds before replying "Take a day off tomorrow. Perhaps you may be able to come up with a new song?" he asks, a note of hopefulness in his voice. "Of course." She says, placing her shell back in her bag and turning to leave.   
"Wait-" he calls out. She stops. "Yes, my Lord?" she says. "It seems like such a waste to make you come up here for just one song." He says. She holds her breath, expecting him to say not to bother coming tomorrow. "Would you mind playing that for me again? If it's no trouble, that is." She smiles. "It would be my pleasure to." She says, taking her shell out of her bag once more. She breathes in, puts it up to her lips, and allows her melody to ring out, the sound of dreams once more ringing out to all corners of the room…  
"But this is ridiculous!" Joey shouts as Follows Yugi around, putting a fork next to each plate he sets on the table. Yugi, Tristan, Tea, and Joey are setting the table for dinner. "I know, but if it makes her feel better." Yugi says as he places the last plate down and turns to look at Joey. "but this is nuts!" he says.  
"Speaking of nuts," Tristan says as he puts down the napkins and looks at Joey. "Hey-watch it pal!" Joey says. And as Joey and Tristan bicker and Tea tries to break the two of them up, Yugi looks over at Yami, who is leaning up against the frame of the door, watching Alyssa through the kitchen doorway. Yugi walks over to him, watching as she puts the pasta in a large bowl and stirs the pot of sauce on the oven, adding a few more ingredients.  
"Thinking?" he asks his counterpart who straightens up. "Maybe just a little." He says, straightening up and looking at Yugi, who gives a little laugh. He sighs. "She look familiar?" he asks. "I don't know." Yami replies, returning his eyes to the girl who is now turning off the oven burners and removing the pot from the heat. "Sometimes, I can't help but think I know her from somewhere, but then I think I have never seen her before in my life. Well, either of my lives." He adds as Yugi looks at him. "What?" he says, interrupted as she carries in the pot of pasta sauce. "Watch out, Yugi!" she says,. Pausing so that he may step back. Setting it on the table, she puts the pot holders aside. Yugi's grandfather comes in with the pasta. "Would one of you boys go and get the plate of-"   
"MEATBALLS!" Joey and Tristan shout as they make a mad dash to get to the kitchen, getting stuck in the doorway as both try and enter it at the same time. A few minutes of pushing and pulling ends up with both in the kitchen…flat on their faces.  
Mr. Mutou chuckles as he sets the ravioli down on the table. A few minutes later, Joey comes in grinning from ear to ear and holding the large plate of meatballs, while a glaring Tristan rubs what appears to be a sore spot on his forehead.  
Everyone sits down at the table. Joey ties his napkin around his neck while Tea scoffs at him, placing hers on her lap. She looks across the way, perhaps to have asked for someone to tell Joey to act civilized when she sees Tristan mimicking Joey, and a fork and knife held in each hand.  
The food makes its way around the table and each take their fill. "Boy Yugi," Joey says, his mouth half full. "I take back what I said earlier. Home made meals doesn't sound like bad payment to me." At the end of the table, Alyssa merely sits looking at her plate, but she is blushing. "Pass the bread, please." Joey says waiting for the warm oven baked loaf to make it's way to him.  
"I can't believe you can cook like this!" Tea says. "I've been in the kitchen all my life and I can't seem to get anything right." "Yeah she burns things a lot." Tristan says as he takes a big bite of buttered bread. Tea glares at him and returns to her meal.   
"I've had a little bit of practice." Alyssa merely says, trying to finish as quickly as possible. "Hey- that's mine!" Joey says. "no it's not- you had the rest of them!" Tristan shouts. Everyone looks over at the pair, who each has a fork in the last of the ravioli. "I did not! You took too many!" Joey says in defense. "Oh yeah? Well, take that!" Tristan says as he throws his napkin across the table at Joey's face. Joey dodges though, and both make a grab for the last ravioli. Somehow it ends up being airborne…and lands straight on Yugi's plate.  
"Yay!" Yugi shouts, his eyes closed as he smiles and pumps his arms up in the air, knife and fork enclosed in ach. He eats it and swallows, still smiling. Tristan and Joey merely pout. Tea giggles and smiles. Noticing that Alyssa has gotten up, she asks "Hey, where're you going?"  
"Oh!" Alyssa says, not having expected to be noticed. "I'm just going to go and start on the dishes." She says, walking off to the kitchen. "Nonsense. The boys can do that." Mr. Mutou says. She smiles. "No. It's no problem. Besides, I want to." She walks into the door, not aware that the pharaoh is following her in his spirit form. She sighs and goes over to the sink, turning on the hot water. Looking around for a few moments, she finally spies the soap and scrub brush. She picks it up and douses it with the dish soap. First she scrubs her own plate and utensils. Then she begins to move on to the many pots and pans that she used for all her creations that night.  
Yugi walks in with his plate but Yami takes over. "I'll take care of it." He says as Yugi looks at him. "Okay then, if you want to." Yugi says, smiling. He leaves the kitchen and the pharaoh and Alyssa are alone. He walks over to her. Busily scrubbing she hadn't heard him approaching her. He comes up to hr. "You know, you don't have to do this. You're a guest. Why don't you sit down and relax?"   
Hearing his voice, she stops. Her hands still wet she turns around, trying to kneel down once more. He sighs. "You don't have to-" "It is custom for a subject to bow in the presence of her pharaoh." She tells him once more, interrupting. "Yes, but I don't want you to. Now will you stand up?" he says, looking away, uncomfortable at this. "If you wish." She says, returning to her earlier task.   
"…So, you like to cook then?" Yami says, trying to make some kind of conversation. "Yes, I do." She merely says, falling silent once more. He leans back, his arms resting on the counter. She reaches for the soap but the bottle slips out of her hands.  
"Here- let me help you with that." He says, pouring some onto the pot for her. "Thank you." She says, and is quiet once more. There is an awkward silence as both think of something to say. "Have you-" "I-" they both begin at the same time. Laughing a little, she says, "You first." "No, you go ahead." The pharaoh says. Taking in a deep breath and letting it out, she begins. "When I-"   
"Hey, what are you two up to?" Joey says, walking in to the kitchen, a large piece of cake on a plate. "I see you found the dessert." Yami says nodding in the direction of the cake, "What? Oh yeah!" Joey says. "Anyway, everyone is waiting out in the dining room. I was sent in to sp- make sure that you two hadn't fallen into the sink or slipped on the soap or anything." He says. "well, as you can see, neither one of us is trapped in the sink or flat on our back on the floor." Yami says, grinning a slightly.  
"Yes, well, I'll be on my way then." Joey says. He makes his way back towards the dining room, but stops in front of the fridge. He opens up the door and pulls out the milk, returning to the dining room with it.

Yami turns to look at Alyssa once more, ready to ask her what she had been about to say, but sees she has finished with the dishes and is drying her hands. She walks out into the other room, not noticing he is watching her. A rousing chorus of overly loud "Hi's" and "Do you want some dessert?" can be heard. He sighs. He'd almost gotten her to say something. And now…he'd missed his chance.


	7. Chapter 7

-- The sun is rising over Egypt, casting away the gray shadows that still linger from the night. The torches that have not yet been extinguished are, and the streets, though busier then before, are still quiet.  
Inside her small home, Alyssa stretches out on her reed mat that lays in the corner. It is old and weathered; she could do with a new one. But she has neither the time to do it herself or gather the reeds so that her mother might while she was away. She yawns as she opens her eyes. Noticing the light outside, she sits up quickly, hurrying to grab the jugs to make the river run, hoping that she would not be so late to her work.  
As she was grabbing the first jug, she remembered that she had been told to take the day off today. Sighing with relief, she picked it up, as well as its twin, and walked to retrieve that days supply of the precious liquid.  
Coming back later her parents are surprised to see her when they wake. It has been a while since she last took a day off. She smiles and gives them a hug and tells them to sit down so she can prepare the morning meal. They chat as she cooks over the hot flames, expertly making a delicious breakfast. She puts it on plates, again, made out of woven reeds and sits at the short, old table they had. They smile as they eat, her mother and father continuously asking her questions about her well being, what she has been doing, and why has she taken so long to relax for a day?  
At this she tells them, no, she is only here because she has been told to take a day off. She does not tell them why, though they press her to. She merely says that she will be home for a while longer and then she must leave later on.  
An hour passes by, and having seen that everything has been cleaned she sets out for the palace. It is still early, so the markets are buzzing with people. She goes to the homes of people whose clothes she has finished. "Hmm…" one woman says. "I could get my daughter to do stitching like this! It isn't worth the amount." "Then perhaps I may take it back and work on it once more. I wouldn't want you to pay for such shoddy work." She says to the lady, reaching out to take it. "No, no. I guess it is fine after all." The woman says. She goes inside her home and returns with a coin. "Here you are." She says. "I thought we had agreed on three?" Alyssa says. "Three? For this?" the woman says, gesturing at the dress she holds in a hand. "Be happy I give you one!"  
At this she slams the door on her. Turning away, Alyssa thinks to herself "One coin doesn't even cover the cost of the fabric!" Once more she heads in the direction of the palace. "Shoddy stitching?" she thinks to herself. "Why I worked three days on that! And she knows what fine stitching it is!" Sighing, she says. "I wish that people didn't cheat me so often. If I do such poor work why do they ask me to fix their items or make new clothes again and again? It would be foolish to do so!" sighing again, she mutters "It's because they know I need the money…I end up reducing the price myself sometimes, just because we need it. If this keeps up though I'll run myself into debt from working!"   
Reaching the palace stairs, she walks up to the first balcony. Here it was quiet, and deserted. She would have loved to stay home but knew she would never create a song fit to grace the pharaoh's ears if she had stayed. She set down her small basket and took out her shell. She turned it around in her hands, admiring its pearly sheen on the inside.  
She remembered the dream, the woman in white, holding out the shell to her. How she had turned it over in her hands, looking at it as the woman had explained how to make it, where to find the shell needed for it, how to whittle away the inside and create the holes without damaging the lovely sound.  
And then, how the next day she had gone to the spot in her dream by the river, and there, in the sand, was the most exquisite shell she had ever seen. Shells weren't common in this part of the river, at least, not shells like this.  
She carefully brought her treasure home and cleaned it, the milky white inside gleaming even brighter then before, and the lovely shades of tan, orange, pinks and reds were brought out even more.  
She carved away at it with her diligent young fingers, carefully smoothing out the edges of the holes and hollowing out certain parts of the inside. She had expected it to be hard work but she was able to cut through as if it were only a feather.  
Then, setting away the fond memory of her childhood she set to work, and began to play…  
Yawning, Yugi stretches out his arms as he wakes to the light of the sun. He can smell something cooking downstairs in the kitchen. Getting up he runs down the steps taking the stairs two at a time. He rounds the corner into the kitchen. "Hiya grandpa!" he begins to say. "Sleep…well?" Yugi gasps as he sees the mountain of food on the table. Pancakes, waffles, cut fruit, bacon, eggs, French toast, hash browns…every thing that you could imagine. He takes a seat and sees a newspaper. "Did you make all this?" Yugi asks astonished as he reaches over the grits to get a muffin. "No." Mr. Mutou says, putting down the paper. "I came down to make my normal cup of coffee and she was already in the kitchen making this fabulous meal! I asked her what she was doing and she reminded me she had taken on the role of 'household chef' I think she called it, and that since she wasn't sure what we liked for breakfast she said she was making everything. I would have stopped her but…she was in the middle of making 'everything'."  
"Wow." Yugi says, his mouth half full of muffin. Sniffing the air, he says "I don't think she is done yet." He swallows his muffin. "I think I still smell something cooking in there."  
A few minutes later Alyssa walks in, carrying a plate of hot cinnamon rolls. "I have a few here. The icing isn't done yet- I have that in the kitchen still. I'll put some on the few I have in the oven still. It's keeping them warm." She sets down the tray on the table. "Oh-hey Yugi!" she says smiling at him. "Is there anything I can get for you?" she asks. Scanning the table, she says "I think I got most of the things, but if I forgot something just let me know and I can make it for you." "No! This is great!" Yugi says, as he reaches for a cinnamon roll. "You know you don't have to do all this. It's okay, really." "Oh no, I don't mind." She says. "I have a few things left still, so if I may…" "Uh…o…kay…" Yugi says, as she turns and walks back into the kitchen.  
"He turns back to the plate of pancakes, reaching for one, as he hears the pharaoh say "I can't believe it." "Ahh!" Yugi shouts, surprised. "Hmm? Is something the matter? Mr. Mutou says looking up from his paper as he reaches for his coffee. "No, I'm fine." Yugi reassures him. Under his breath he says "What? What's wrong?" The pharaoh looks at the door to the kitchen. "Last night she went back out to that ratty old tent. Then she sat down and read by a flashlight for a few hours, with a few books she took out of her bag. When she finally ran out of batteries, she went to bed."   
"Well that doesn't sound all that bad." Yugi says. "I don't see what the problem is. So what if she likes to read?" "It's not that." Yami says. "She woke up early so that she could go to the store and buy all the stuff to make breakfast. She spent almost a hundred dollars!"  
"A hundred dollars?" Yugi says. "But…she's always so careful to keep her money….so she can go to Egypt. She said so herself." "I know." Yami says, punching the wall with the side of his fist. "And she carried everything back herself from the store and set to making breakfast and cleaning. It's all she's been doing for the past two hours." "Two HOURS?" Yugi says. His fork dropping the pancake he had just tried to take off the serving plate. "Yes. And what's worse is the second something goes wrong she freaks out that she is ruining something."  
"Like what?" Yugi inquires, tilting his head to the side a little. "Well, she spilled a little bit of water on an old and dusty cookbook she discovered hiding somewhere and she felt and was horrified that the page looked a little bleary. It dried up and was just fine, but she decided against risking making any more 'old family recipes'."   
Yugi laughs a little. "I didn't even know we owned a cookbook." He says as he spears the pancake once more. "But family or not, I think these are the best pancakes I've ever tasted!" Yami laughs as Yugi hurriedly finishes the one he has and moves to grab another. Suddenly the door slams loudly. "Hey Yugi!" Joey says as he walks in the room, his mouth drooling. "So it was your house that had all these wonderful smells coming out of it. Whoa!" he exclaims as he sets his eyes on the arrangement on the table. "Yugi! How do you plan on eating all this stuff?" "I don't." Yugi says simply. "I just woke up and it was here." "Well, I hope Grandpa didn't burn anything." Joey says as he pulls out a chair and ties a napkin around his neck. "Oh, I didn't make any of this, Joseph." Mr. Mutou says, taking another sip of his coffee and biting into a scone. "Alyssa did." "Alyssa?" Joey says. "Alright!" And he then begins to heap mounds of everything onto his plate. Indeed, he looks excited as he stares at the mountain of food before him, holding his knife and fork in his hand.  
"Haven't you ever heard of knocking?" Tea says as she comes in. Joey, however, is busy digging away at the pile on his plate. "Hey Tea." He says, his mouth full. "You should really try some of this. It's great! Much better than any of that stuff you've ever made." "Why you!" She says, clenching her fist. "Oh! Hello, Tea. Hi Joey." Alyssa says as she comes back in, bearing the aforesaid cinnamon rolls with the icing on them. "I didn't know you would be coming over. Please, have a seat, so long as it is okay with Mr. Mutou and Yugi, that is." She adds, nodding in their direction.  
"OF course it's fine for them to stay." Mr. Mutou says as Tea takes a seat. "There's no need to be so formal all the time, Alyssa." Mr. Mutou says. "You're not a maid, you're a guest! A guest with exceptional cooking talents, that is to say." He says, raising his mug to her. Taking it the wrong way, she says "Oh! I didn't know you were out of coffee. I'll be right back with some." "I didn't mean to…oh well." Mr. Mutou says, drinking the rest of his glass. "Very eager to be accommodating." He says. "That's because she believes she is a servant, not a guest." Yami says. "Yugi looks at him out of the corner of his eye, but can tell that the pharaoh really doesn't want to talk right then. "Hey Joey, you can eat the food, but don't eat the table cloth!" Yugi shouts, noticing Joey's wild antics as he shovels food into his mouth.  
He looks at the pharaoh and follows his gaze to see Alyssa refilling grandpa's cup and explaining that if he added just a little bit of cinnamon and roasted the beans it would bring out a nice rich flavor. "Could it be the pharaoh is a little jealous?" Yugi thought to himself. "Perhaps he wishes that she knew he was here, considering she can't see him unless I'm the invisible one. Maybe it would be better if we switched for a while so he could get some attention."   
"No, I'm not jealous, and no, we don't need to switch." Yami says, looking at Yugi. "Eheh." Yugi smiles nervously, having forgotten that the pharaoh could hear his very thoughts.  
"I just wish she didn't act so much like a servant. We didn't bring her here so she would clean, and I don't like her thinking that that is the only reason she is here." "Oh, pharaoh, I'm sure she knows that isn't why we asked her to come." Yugi says to him. "She only feels like she's being useless. She wants to…how do you say it? 'Earn her keep'?"  
"Yes, but still…" he says, as he returns his gaze to Alyssa as she surrenders a tray of muffins to Joey who has been trying to get at them for apparently quite a while. Sighing she smiles as she bends down and picks up the one or two that fell down, saying she'd be back with a cloth to clean up the mess in just a few minutes.  
She heads back into the kitchen and the pharaoh stands up, taking control. "I'm gonna go see if she needs any help." He says in explanation to the others, who are far too busy trying to keep Joey from eating all the cinnamon rolls. Tea is yelling and holding away a tray proclaiming how rude it is and why doesn't he show some table manners? As Mr. Mutou sits their laughing jovially as he watches the crazy behavior of the two young people.  
Entering the kitchen with the door swinging open, he bumps into Alyssa as she was just about to exit. She falls backward onto the floor. "My Lord…I'm…I'm so sorry. I didn't know that you were there." She says, as she hurriedly reaches for the rag that she had dropped as she fell. Yami picks it up and, thought she reaches out a hand for it, refuses to give it to her. "No. You aren't getting this until you get up." "But, my Lord, I-" "Nope! You have to get up first." He says. Sighing she hastens to her feet. "There. Now may I have that back please?" She says, holding out her arm for it once more as she looks away. "Nope!" Yami says, smiling. "But-" "We didn't bring you here so you would cook and clean all the time, and that's all you've done. You're not just a guest, you're a friend." "A friend that isn't paying." She says as she tries to grab the rag out of his hand. "We don't want you too." Yami says. "It's not like we need the money. We're perfectly happy to just have you stay. You don't need to prepare a banquet for every meal." He says, nodding his head in the direction of the table. "Oh, well I didn't know what everyone liked, so I tried to make a little of everything." She says, twisting her hands before trying to get the rag again. "You spent a hundred dollars on groceries for breakfast. That's not a little of everything, that's a lot of everything." "I didn't spend that much!" She says defiantly. "Oh really? Would you like me to get the receipt from where you hid it?" "I didn't hide it." She mumbles.  
Yami goes towards one of the cupboards and her eyes follow him as he reaches up and pulls out a few of the spices and boxes. As he reaches into the back, she shouts "Okay! Okay. Fine. You've made your point." Yami chuckles as he begins to return the items to their proper place. "And, I hope you know, we will be reimbursing you for the expenses." "What? No!" she yells again. "I don't want your money!" "And I don't want yours." Yami says back. "It wasn't all that much." She says. As he begins to reach back into the cupboard she says "Okay! Maybe it was that much. You know what I meant. And how did you even know about that? I didn't see you, and Yugi was fast asleep in bed when I came back." "Oh, I have my ways." Yami says, smiling at the Yugi who had drifted into the kitchen after hearing some of the shouts. Of course, Alyssa doesn't see him.  
"There's nothing wrong with wanting to do something nice for someone who is doing something nice for you." She mumbles again. 'But you are working too hard. You don't even stay inside the house." Yami says pointedly. "A peasant shouldn't stay" "Don't finish that sentence." The pharaoh warns her. "I want you to stop thinking of yourself as a peasant, and I want you to stop kneeling before me every time I walk in the room or you see me." He says. "But-" "No buts." Yami says. "Consider that an order from your pharaoh." She sighs. "You will be accepting the money we will be paying you for what you spent on breakfast, and you will not argue about it." Yami says as she opens her mouth to do that very thing. Slumping against the wall she says "But then-" "No buts." Yami reminds her, cutting her off. Walking over to her he reaches out a hand and, defeated, she takes it. Helping her up she looks away and mutters how it isn't fair and that can he at least give her the rag back so she can clean up the mess on the floor. Of course, our pharaoh refuses.  
"But it's all sticky there now." She says. "I know that. I'm going to clean it up." He says. At this she protests, but he holds up a hand for silence and she immediately is. "It doesn't bother me. Besides, I should do a little bit of work every now and again. It helps keep me from getting lazy." He says with a grin as he walks back into the room, Alyssa following.  
He is conscious as she watches him wipe up the small mess on the ground. Twice she begins to say something but stops herself before anything comes out. "I think I'll go and finish the rest of the dishes." She mumbles. She turns to go back into the kitchen to see a Joey sporting an icing moustache blocking her way. "You know, these are really good." He says. "Ever think of opening a store?" She smiles. "Thanks, but no. I'm sorry, excuse me." She says as she tries to slip past him. Again, he steps into her way. "Please…let me through." She says, trying to move around him unsuccessfully. Everywhere she steps he moves, until he finally just stands in front of the door.  
"Look, I need to get in there. Those dishes aren't going to clean themselves. You don't want them to sit there, do you?" "Actually, yes, yes I do." He says, looking past her at Yugi. "We were planning on going out today. Why don't you come along?"  
"Thanks, but no thanks. I've got to do the dishes and then I need to start on the living room. Maybe later." "Aw, but we are going to have so much fun!" Joey says. "Tristan'll be there, and Tea's there, and of course Yugi will be there." "Will the dirty dishes be there?" She asks him. "Well…uh, no." "Then no thanks" she says.  
Yami comes up from behind her and puts his hands on her shoulders. Startled, she jumps. "You should really come," he says, his hands still on her shoulders despite how she had tried to pull away. "I'm fine." She mumbles. "No, you are all tense. You've been working too hard." Yami says. "But I'm not even done with the dishes" she says, as he begins to massage her shoulders. "The boys can take care of that." Mr. Mutou says. "You went to the trouble to make all of this, you shouldn't have to put it away. I didn't think we had enough in the fridge to make all this anyway."  
"That's because we didn't." Yami says. "She took a shopping trip today." "How is it that you know that?" she whispers. "Oh really?" Mr. Mutou says. "Well, this is enough breakfast to have for a week! Please, let me help. How much did you spend?" "No, no, that's okay. I'm fine, really." She says, moving out of Yami's reach. "It was my pleasure too. Now if you'll excuse me, Mr. Mutou…Joey…Pharaoh." She says, nodding at each of them, bowing her head as she comes to Yami's name. She disappeared through the kitchen door and into the kitchen. Moments after you can hear water running and the clamor of pots and pans being shuffled about in the background.  
"She's a little…" Joey begins. "Independent?" Yami supplies. "No, more like…" "Stubborn?" "Very much so, but I was thinking more like…" "Hard but overworking due to a sense of inferiority, dependency, etc. due to a debt she can not pay in monetary value, so instead trying to seek repayment through culinary skills and physical labor?" Joey blinks a few times, staring blankly at Yami. "Well, yeah. I…guess…" He still looks slightly confused as Yami laughs and walks through the door.  
There, at the sink once more, stands Alyssa. Scrubbing the pots and pans he can see that in the short time she had been in the kitchen she had worked up quite a few bubbles. The finished pans were set on the dish rack for drying. Yami leaned up against the counter, recalling this same scene the night before.  
"Do you like staying here, Alyssa?" he poses the question. Still scouring the cookware, she replies "Yes. Very much so." "Why?" Yami asks, looking at her. She pauses for amoment, and it is quiet other than the sound of the water running. "I don't know." She says, as she picks up with her task. "Everyone is just so nice here. It's different." She says, placing a frying pan on the rack, balancing it carefully against the other so that none fall down. "How so?" Yami asks. "I don't know." She tells him once more. "It just…is."  
"Then why don't you ever want to be near anyone?" He asks. At this she laughs. "It isn't that I don't want to be near anyone." She explains. "It's just that…well, you said that I could do this to make up for not being able to pay rent, so that is what I am doing." "But you don't even stay inside the house." Yami says. "Why would you even be paying rent?" "I'm still in the backyard." She says. "I'm still using your kitchen. I'm still using your soap, your water….everything." "But none of that matters." Yami says. "It does to me." She says, slightly defensively.  
"She reaches for the soap bottle again, but Yami reaches out and catches her hand as it encloses over it. "Come with us. Have some fun. You've been working since you got here." Sucking in a breath of air and looking away, she states "If I had been working since I got her, this place would be clean, and my job would be done." "We don't want you to clean." Yami says, exasperated. "Well I do!" She says. "How else am I going to pay for it? Even if I were to go with everyone today, even if we were to go to the store, even if we were to go somewhere, I wouldn't be able to do anything. There is this pesky little thing called money. Everyone seems to want it and I don't have very much of it." "Well, perhaps if you hadn't spent a hundred dollars on groceries-""Don't let Mr. Mutou hear you say that She says, making a motion with her arm to shush him and looking at the door. A loud, rousing laugh could be heard from the other room, and they knew they had not been overheard.  
"I'm not comfortable with accepting money from other people." She grumbles. "Yet you are comfortable enough to spend a large portion of your savings on people you barely know." "OH? And you are comfortable letting someone you barely know stay in your home? What if I was secretly taking things out of the house and hiding them?" she asks. "If that were the case." He says. "Then there would be a lot more than a receipt for groceries hiding behind that box." Yami says.  
Sighing she leans up against the sink. "What do I have to do to make you understand?" She mumbles to herself more than to Yami. "You can start by coming with us." He says, overhearing her comment. "But" "No buts!" Yami says. "I thought I told you that earlier." "That doesn't apply here." She says under her breath again. "Yeah, well, it does now." Yami says, walking out of the kitchen.   
"Hey Tristan!" he says, noticing the youth talking to grandpa and Joey, Tea with them as well. "Hey yugi!" he says. "So when are we going to get going?" he asks. "As soon as Alyssa is ready." He says. "Ahh, I knew you could convince her, you old dog." Joey says, pulling Yugi into a headlock in the crook of his arm and giving him noogies. Yami laughed as he watched Yugi struggle to get out of Joey's playful hold before Joey released him, while Yugi gave him a look for pulling that switch without warning. "Good going pharaoh." Yugi says, with a smiling, playfully angry look on his face. "Reeeaaal Mature."  
-- A servant closes the door behind her as Alyssa once more steps into the bed chambers of Pharaoh Atemu Yami Yugi, her shell in her hands, clutched at her chest. "Have you had a good day?" the pharaoh inquires politely. "Yes…thank you." She says, bowing in front of him. "It was very nice." She says, straightening up. "I've been wondering and waiting all day for this." He says. She registers that it is almost the same thing as before, and can't make out if he is just trying to be polite, is sincere, or possibly something else. "I hope that you will be pleased then, my Lord." She says nervously. He smiles at her, though she does not see because her eyes are once more averted to the floor. "Shall I start then, my Lord she asks after a moment." "Please do." He says, gesturing to her that she can begin. And once more she raises the magical shell to her lips…  
And lo! The gods had seen fit to grace her fingers once more with the gift of song. If the last one had been tales of flight and of sunrise, of caverns and sunset, then this one was most surely the journey of a grain of sand throughout the never ending echoes of time, swirling in the wind, shrouded by the mists of eternity and yet lighted by the ideas of mortality. And just at the crest of activity, the song stopped, and slowed, until finally coming to rest under the shady leaves of a palm.  
Clapping the Pharaoh remarked "You always have such merry and yet thoughtful tunes. How is it that you do it?" "I do not know, my Lord." She says. "I can only assume that it is the one gift that the gods have seen fit to give me, and may they all be blessed for that, for they have much blessed me." "Fine words." The Pharaoh says. "And a fine song as well!" At this she blushes and mutters what she hopes to be a gracious thank you.  
"Have you another?" He asks her. "Well…no." She says sheepishly. "It took me all day to think up this one. And…the only other one I know is the song you heard last night." "That song never grows old." The pharaoh says. "If you wouldn't mind, it would be my honor to hear you perform it once more." "Oh no, my Lord." She says to him. "The honor is all mine." And she set her instrument in position and let the soothing spirit of the song glide out from underneath her fingertips, once more painting the morning sky with the fire of the rising sun, as the waterfalls continuously fell until the bluest sky faded into evening, the sun beginning its journey through the perils of darkness once more. And again, the room was silent when she finished. And again, she nervously awaited some form of commentary, good or bad. Receiving none, she began to repeat her excuse from the other day. She vaguely recalled thinking up one or two earlier that day, but she could not seem to recall them now. "I forgot-" "Would you-" They said at the same time. "You first." He says. "No, you." She says, smiling slightly.  
"I was going to ask if you would come here tomorrow night as well. If, you weren't planning on anything else, that is." "That would be fine…though…" "You are out of songs again?" Feeling her cheeks getting warm again, she merely nods her head. "Hmm." Yami thinks. "How long does it take you to come up with a song?" He asks. "Well…I don't know. I only write them in my spare time." Hesitating, she glances around the room quickly. "I guess…that…if my Pharaoh wished to hear me play…that I might be able to…to use another day to practice." At this the Pharaoh lights up. "That would be splendid! I look forward to seeing you." "Then until tomorrow, my Lord." She says, bowing and turning to leave. "Wait." He calls out to her. Once more, the nervous fear that he might ask her not to return haunts her. "Earlier, you were about to say something." "Oh." She says. "Uh…I forgot…I forgot what it was I was going to say." She says. "Oh. Well, should you ever remember, I'll be here." The Pharaoh says. "Thank you, my Lord." She says. Once more she bows to the Pharaoh as he sits upon his bed, and leaves the room.


	8. Chapter 8

The sun has gone down and the stars are out as Yugi, Yami, Tristan, Joy, Tea, and Alyssa walk down the street. "Did you see that move?" Joey shouts. Hopping up on a park bench, he quotes a line from the movie." On guard, you filthy dog!" He continues with a wide sweep of his arm, imitating the swordplay. "Sounds like something Kaiba would say to you." Tristan says. "Grr...I'm gonna get you for that!" Joey says, jumping off the bench and tackling a laughing Tristan to the ground. Yugi and Tea shake their heads while they debate whether or not to wait for the end of the playful fight. "Gaaah! No biting!" They hear Joey yell, subsequently followed by Tristan yelling "HEY! I thought you just said no biting!"  
Yami shakes his head at the pair, though the gesture going unseen. He looks back, finding Alyssa walking slowly behind them a few feet back. She looks intent on her thoughts, and is staring at the ground. Yami sighs. "Where have I seen you before?" He asks himself, falling into step beside her. "If I have ever seen you before." He adds. Alyssa looks up, as if hearing something. She turns and looks straight at the pharaoh, startling him. Shrugging, she sighs and says she must be tired and imagining things.  
"Ah!" Yugi says, as Alyssa bumps into him. "Oh! I'm sorry, Yugi." She says. "I wasn't paying attention. Are you okay?" "Nah, it's okay. I'm fine." Yugi says to her. "What about you?" he says. "Hmm?" She asks, looking at him. "You look like you've got a lot on your mind." He says. "Oh…no. Not really. I'm just… thinking." She says, looking off into the distance again.  
"Hey you two. That's enough. You can kill each other later. Let's et going!" Tea shouts to the two boys still attacking each other, though a lot less furiously. Yugi laughs. "They'll be okay." Yugi says. "What makes you say that?" Tea asks, smiling at him. "Because, we'll use psychology on them." He says. "Okay guys! We're leaving you behind!" Yugi shouts to them. He begins walking off, Tea and Alyssa following behind him, the pharaoh as well. "What? Hey! Wait for us!" They yell, running to catch up. "See? I told you it would work." Yugi says to tea. "So simple a trick for so simple a mind." Tea says, laughing. Yugi laughs as well, while Tristan and Joey try to make sense out of what they heard.  
At last they come to Yugi's house. "You guys want to come in?" Yugi asks. "Just open the door." Joey says smiling. Yugi laughs and they all walk in. Taking off their shoes by the door, they notice someone is missing. "Hey- where'd Alyssa go?" Joey says.  
'I told you I was going to do them." Alyssa says in the dining room to Mr. Mutou, who is sitting, a cup of coffee in his hand, reading a book. "It was no trouble." Mr. Mutou says. "You shouldn't worry so much." He tells her. "But-" "I left some money to pay for the breakfast as well." he says, nonchalantly as he sips more of his coffee. "Ninety eight dollars and forty four cents is far too much to spend for breakfast." He says. "What? How did you find out about that?" She says, hurrying into the kitchen, looking for the receipt. "I found it when I was putting away a few things I found left on the stove." He says, holding out the receipt from the store to her. She takes it and sighs, an arm against the counter to support her. "I don't want your money." She mumbles. "How would you feel if someone spent that much on you?" he asks her. "I'd…I'd want to pay them back." She says. "Se?" he tells her. "That's different though." She says. "Oh? And how so?" Mr. Mutou says, crossing his arms. "Because that would be me, not you. I'll be right back with it." She finishes.  
"I'm not going to take it!" Mr. Mutou calls. "Then I'll leave it on the ground and whoever wants it can have it!" She calls over her shoulder. He chuckles. "She's very headstrong and stubborn." He says to the others, "But this is not one battle she is going to win."  
Half an hour later, a very worn out looking Alyssa is sitting down at the table, Mr. Mutou on the other side. Her head is down, resting on her arms. "I don't want your money." She mumbles again. "I don't want it either." Mr. Mutou says. "I'm just going to spend it on something else." She says. "Like yourself?" He asks, cocking an eyebrow. "No. Like…cleaning supplies, or something else like that." She says, her head still down. "In the long run, it's only going to come back to you. So just take it, will you?" She says, sliding an arm out with the bills in her hand. Mr. Mutou thinks for a moment. "Nope." He says, smiling. "I don't want it." "And neither do I!" She says. Mr. Mutou gets up, and comes over, placing his hands on her shoulders. "There's nothing wrong with a little help." He says gently. "But-" "I'm not taking it, and that's final." He says. "Just face it. You aren't going to make me change my mind."  
Alyssa groans. "Then what am I going to do with it?" She says. "spend it on yourself. Save it for your trip. Whatever you want. But do something for you. We have all we need." He says, and, patting her shoulder, goes away. The pharaoh, who had been watching the entire proceedings of this, watches her get up after a few minutes and leave. He appears in front of Yugi, who is preparing for sleep. "Can I…?" He asks. "But of course." He says, and Yami takes over. Heading downstairs quietly, so that he might not disturb grandpa who could already be heard snoring in his bed, he goes outside.  
Outside he is met with the site of Alyssa, sitting on a log. Her back is to our pharaoh. Her hair cascades down her back, shining in the moonlight. In her hands she holds a shell; she is playing a song on it. There are holes where her fingers touch, the head of the shell able to spin. One long branch sticks out where the air is blown into, coming out through uncovered holes and through a small slit at the end. She is still playing, not knowing that he is there.  
"That's a lovely song" the Pharaoh says, coming up behind her. "You play it well." Her notes have stopped, now aware she has an audience. "Why, thank you." She says. Turning to face him, preparing to bow. "I thought I told you I didn't want you to do that anymore." The Pharaoh smiles. "Sorry." She says, a wan smile on her face. "Old habits die hard."  
"No big deal" He says, dismissing this with a wave of his hand. He sits down beside her on the log. "This is a rather strange instrument. I haven't seen it before, much less heard it played." He tells her, examining it in his hands. "That's because I am the only one I know of that can play it." She replies. "Really?" the Pharaoh says, interested. "Where did you get this?" He asks, turning it around in his fingers. "I didn't" she says. "You didn't?" he questions. "Then how did you get it?"  
She hesitates and looks at her hands.. "I saw it in a dream." She tells him. "I saw what I needed to do to make it. I found what I needed and created it myself. That is why no one else has one or can play." "Surely if you taught someone they could. Do you mind if I try?"  
"Of course, my Lord." she says, her head still down. The pharaoh picks it up, looking at it, trying to get his fingers to look as hers did. Figuring he had it close enough, he tried to imitate the way she'd moved it. All that came out were a few squeaks, a meep, and a squawk.   
Alyssa begins to laugh a little at this. "Well, no one does it right on the first try." The pharaoh says, slightly embarrassed. At this she stops. "I'm so sorry- I- I didn't mean to insult you. Of course no one gets it right on the first try-I- I was being silly. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have-""You know you don't have to worry. I'm not mad." The pharaoh says, looking at her, as she begins to rush into another apology.  
Breathing a sigh of relief she replies "Thank you." Taking back the shell, she says "I could try to teach you, if you wanted to learn. I just…haven't had much luck in that area." She says. "No, I'm alright, thank you." He says. "It's nice to hear you play." "Thank you." She repeats, this time blushing. She sighs and looks up towards the sky, at the stars. "What else are you doing out here." The pharaoh asks, looking up himself. "I figured I would rest a bit before I started reading." she says, glancing at her tent. Noticing the books, Yami remarks " I don't think I've seen you with those before." "Oh." She laughs. " I only checked them out today. You must not have noticed." "You checked them out? From the library?" he says. "Yeah." She says. "I have a library card. They don't enforce the address rule to much, so long as you always bring the books back on time. I'd just put one down. I made sure that they weren't late, so I've never had to worry about anyone asking me any questions." "It seems you think of everything." Yami remarks. "I try." She says, laughing, looking at her shell, spinning it's head.  
"Isn't it a little dark to read?" he asks her. "Nah. Not really" She replies. "The moonlight helps, and I have a flashlight." She says. "I'm good." "You know, you can always just come inside and read." The Pharaoh tells her. "Really. We don't mind." "Nah, I'm okay." She repeats. The Pharaoh yawns, his eyes drooping slightly. She laughs. "Perhaps it is best that you retire to your room and rest, my Lord." She says. "You do not want to be tired all of tomorrow." "Perhaps you are right." He says. His head seemed to hurt for some odd reason, and he couldn't help but get a feeling that he had done this before. "Don't stay up to late." He tells her. "Don't worry, I won't." she says.  
The pharaoh walks to the door, but pauses as he hears her begin her song once more. It seemed to tell the tale of the sun's journey before day and night, and he couldn't help but feeling that odd sense of familiarity. His head hurt even more with the feeling, something that had begun to happen much more frequently, and usually when she was around.  
As the song reached its climax at the end, he could even swear he saw her sitting on a bench, her hair glowing in the torchlight, wearing a simple white dress.


	9. Chapter 9

--Alyssa sat and wondered as the pot simmered full of breakfast. Her parents, once more excited by her presence this morning as well, were in the other room. Four days in a row, they said. Something must big must be going on. She hadn't stayed home like this in the longest time.

She stirred it once, twice, three times. It was almost done. She added one or two more little bits of things into the pot. Her parents laughter in the background. The busy sounds of the street.

What was she going to do? She couldn't just keep putting off days of work. However, she knew she could not think of a song if she went. Surely he would grow tired of hearing the same things day after day…

Stirring the pot again, testing it. Finally finished, she moved it away from the source of heat. They still had some savings, but it wouldn't hold up forever. They could only last on it for a few more days. She finally told herself what she knew would have to happen…something she had told herself all along, but didn't want to face.

She'd have to stop playing for the pharaoh.

Either that, or she would have to figure something else out. They only had a little bit left. He was coming to collect for the house today. Not many people collected like this anymore, but her father had made a promise all those years ago. She had made a promise all those years ago. And they'd kept it. She couldn't let it slip through the cracks now.

She went and told her parents that breakfast was ready. As usual she kept up her happy grin. Chatting about what had gone on the past few days. Yes, she knew that the mat needed replacing. She'd try and make another one later that day perhaps. No, she wasn't worried about anything. Yes, she had to leave later…

The answers came mechanically to her, as she thought on other things inside. She was practiced in this though, and to her family it seemed that all was well and she was only intent on listening to them.

Seven pieces today. They had some for a few more days, but she needed to find something. She'd been slacking. Hadn't been taking as many orders for a while. She needed to hand back the one or two she'd done.

No, she could handle the dishes. Go and rest. Yes, she was fine. Why? No, she wasn't tired. She had to be going soon. She got up and cleaned the dishes. Afterwards, she left. Her bag in her hands she went and bartered with the people. Of course, she got less for her work than she was promised. She was used to this however now. She took a few more orders and promised to have them finished soon.

Walking up the palace steps, she went to her usual spot where she liked to think. You could see the entire city from it. She rested her elbows on the railing of the balcony, the wind scattering the loose tendrils of her hair around her face. She sighed, looking up at the morning sun. "What am I going to do?" She said.

"Help." Hears Yugi and the Pharaoh, as they search through door after door, trying to find the source of the call. "There are thousands of doors here!" Yugi says. "It could take us forever to find them!" "I know." Yami says. Suddenly, a kurriboh pops up in front of them. It squeaks, and starts bouncing up and down. "I…think it wants us to follow it." Yugi says. Immediately, the Kurriboh bounces away, towards one of the doors. "Hey! Wait for us!" Yugi calls out, as he and the pharaoh race after it. Through one door, then another, and yet another. Twisting turning, until finally, the Kurriboh stops.

The pair starts glowing, and there is a bright flash of light. They are in a large room, and the dark magician girl is there. "You have to help us!" she says. "Pharaoh, please!" "We'll do whatever we can." The pharaoh says. "What is wrong?" "The Great beast is preparing to enter into the world. For years it has haunted our world." " Your world?" Yugi questions. "Yes- Earth and duel monsters occupy the same region of space, but in two different dimensions. Parallel universes, if you will." She explains. "but now it is meging between the worlds." She says. "And if it gets out…" she doesn't have to finish the sentence for them to understand.

"What can we do to help?" The pharaoh asks. "You are one of the chosen duelists, to wield the Eye of Tamias." She explains. "Years ago they were great warriors that fought against the Great beast. However, they were frozen in time. "So…how do we get them out?" Yugi asks. "If you can remove the sword that is stuck inside the dragon, then it is yours." She says. They look at the three giant sculptures of ice in the room. "We can at least give it a shot." Yami says to Yugi.

They float over to one of the dragons, each putting a hand on the hilt of a sword. Both pull on it. "Give it all you've got, Yugi!" Te pharaoh says. Both give it an extra hard tug, and the sword slides out, freeing the monster, and causing them to fall backward a little bit. "Now join with each other!" The dark magician girl shouts from somewhere. Yami and Yugi hold out a hand towards the dragon, and just as suddenly as a bright flash of light had brought them here, they left.

Yami sat up from where he was. Yugi had apparently been able to sleep through the ordeal and, though stirring slightly in his sleep, soon fell into rhythmic breathing. Yami knew he would sleep until morning. He, however, could not seem to get his eyes to close and remain that way. After trying unsuccessfully for ten minutes to fall asleep, he decided to walk around the house and try and clear his head.

Down in the kitchen he saw Alyssa sitting at the table, a small pile of books around her. She had out the familiar notepad, and she had a pen in her hand. "She must be taking notes again." He said. It did not slip by his eyes, however, that she had apparently cleaned the room. Nor did the fact that the lamp was on the lowest setting it could go unnoticed.

She yawned and blinked her eyes a few times before setting back down to her books. "Looks like you're staying up late anyway." He said. Again, she looked around. "_That's twice now_." He thought, catching his breath. She crossed her arms and set her head down. As she closed her eyes, he thought he heard her say something along the lines of "Fifteen minutes won't hurt, right?" She buried her face in her arms and soon he could see her body gently rising and falling with her breathing.

He smiled again. "Perhaps now she'll be more content to come inside." He said. The puzzle glowed around his neck, and the light in the room went off. "Sleep well." He whispered into her ear. She moved her head and her eyelids fluttered, but they did not open. Yami knew that she would sleep the whole night through. He went back upstairs and stretched out on his back on the bed, next to Yugi, still sleeping. He yawned and felt his eyes droop. Within the next few minutes, the pharaoh was asleep.

"Shh!" Yugi whispered to Joey as he entered the Mutou's kitchen. Alyssa was still at the table, her books spread out. Her head was still resting on her arms. "She must be really tired." Yugi says, readjusting the blanket they had thrown around her when discovering her that morning. "Well no wonder! Look at all that writin' she did!" Joey says, picking up a piece of paper.

"It must be horrible not being able to remember who you are." Yugi says, looking at the Pharaoh. "Hey- Yugi- I thought she said she wasn't rich?"

"She did." Yugi says, looking back toward Joey. "She said she was a servant girl." "Then why is she taking notes on Egypt's pharaohs?" Joey questions, flipping through the pages full of writing. It looks like it starts….right here." He says. Yugi looks at the pad as Joey flips through page after page full of writing, catching words and dates, illustrations in the margins.

"I wonder what she was doing then?" Yugi says, taking the pad from Joey. Alyssa begins to stir. Her eyes blink a few times before she opens them, and closes them once more against the morning light seeping into the kitchen. Ass she sits up, the blanket falls to the floor. "What time is it?" She mumbles, rubbing her eyes. "I think nine, nine thirty." Joey says off handedly. "Oh no, breakfast!" She shouts, standing up.

"I'm sorry. I'll clean this mess up first." She says, straightening the piles of open books and scattered papers. "I was just so tired last night. I only wanted to close my eyes for a few minutes. I guess I fell asleep." She says, reaching for a few papers.

"Wait a minute." She says, looking through her stack. I'm missing something. Oh no! My notes!" she says, glancing around. She spots them in Yugi's hand. "There they are.." she says. "I'll put them away with everything else she says, extending a hand for them.  
"The first bit of everything is all about peasant life." Yugi says. "But these last few pages are filled with stuff about pharaohs and royalty. Why's that?" yugi asks, curious. "It's nothing." She says, trying to grab them, but Joey pulls them out of Yugi's hand from behind. "Yeah, what's up?" He says. "All these confusing dates." He says. "All these words and other things. Hey! That one looks kinda like you, Yug!" he says, pointing to one of the drawings on the side of the page. "Not bad." He says, turning the paper a bit.

Alyssa takes the pad. "Please. Now what is it you all want for breakfast?" She asks. "You and Tristan seem to have eaten everything from yesterday. How, I have no idea." She says, turning to put her stuff to the side. "No changing the subject!" Joey says, wagging a finger at her. "I know what you're trying to do." "Joey, there is a spot on your tie." She says. "Eh?" he says, looking down. "A spot on my tie? What spot? Wait a second, I'm not even wearing a tie!" he says. Yugi laughs. "Why though?" Yugi persists, in innocent curiosity.

She sighs and hesitates before speaking, glancing around. "Well…if you must know…they were for the Pharaoh. I thought I could make it a surprise." She says. Yami sits up in the chair he was sitting on against the wall, looking at her as she runs a finger down the lines of one of the papers. "Huh? Why's that?" Joey says, pausing from his search for the nonexistent spot on his nonexistent tie. "It's no fun being unable to remember who you are." She says. "I've already gone through all these books. I figured I might as well, since I already knew where everything was anyway." "Did you ever find anything to help you?" Yugi asks. "No." she says, and a small expression of disappointment plays across hr face momentarily. "But you never know. There's a lot of stuff about royalty." She says. "Maybe there is something in here that can help him."

"That's a loooooot of trouble to go to for some guy." Joey says, winking at Yugi. "He's been so nice to me, I don't see why I shouldn't return the favor." She says coolly. "Hey! No worries!" Joey says, holding out his hands in front of him. "I'm just saying-" "I'd prefer if you didn't." She says, exiting the room.

"Brrr!" says Joey after she has left. "Well, that was odd. Wonder what's up with her." Mr. Mutou just smiles and shakes his head, returning to his morning cup of coffee and paper. "Hey, what?" Joey asks. Yugi just chuckles, and looks to see the Pharaoh, his eyes still resting on the door she had exited through.


	10. Chapter 10

--Leaning against the cool marble of the palace walls, Alyssa leaned her head back. A woman came over with a large plate. One of the benefits of working in the palace was everyone received a tray at lunch time. She didn't know why or how this was started, but she wasn't complaining. Reaching over, she picked up a small piece of bread and began eating it.

An idea struck her.

Looking at the plate, she assessed how much was there. It really was a lot, and she never finished anyway…would it harm anyone if she decided to take it with her? Most of it was fruits and breads, but there was a little bit of meat on there too, salted so that it wouldn't spoil in Egypt's broiling heat.

She took a small piece of cloth out of her bag-the cloth she usually wrapped up the ingredients she bought at the end of the day. Picking up the items on the tray, she placed them one by one onto the cloth, neatly folded it, and slipped it into her pack. Of course, she left a few things for herself.

"That'll save me a few pieces." She told herself. "At least…at least I can figure out what I ought to do." She picked up her instrument and slung her bag onto her shoulder, the style a messenger would use. She left the tray where it was, knowing that the woman would come back for it. She went to the spot that overlooked the city once more, watching as people milled about on the streets.

She turned and sat on one of the benches, pulling out her instrument. Delicately she ran her fingers over the smooth surface. She had the first part worked out, but she still felt that something was missing.

She raised the instrument to her lips and let all the worries of her life pour into the song. When she was finished, she felt a little better. "Now time to finish this." Glancing at the sun in the sky, she whispered. "I only have so much longer."

---"But not two days in a row!" Alyssa protested as they were once more walking down the street. Yugi, Yami, Tristan, Joey, And Tea formed a small crowd as they continued moving through the streets. "It was just a movie." Tea said. "It's not like it was anything big." "Once we bolted you to the ground to keep you from running out of the theater, I think it was rather clear that you were enjoying it." Tristan says. "Like a kid at Christmas is more like it." Joey says and the two laugh. "I don't want your money." She says again. "You shouldn't have to-"

"Have to make sure that our guest has a good time?" Yami says, switching with Yugi quickly. Registering the change, she begins "My Lord, it is not that I-" "Work too hard?" Yami finishes for her. "No, I was going to say I" "Ought to take a break every now and again?" Joey interrupts. "No, that isn't it at all. I don't mind what I do, really. I just want-" "To go out on the town and relax every now and again?" Tea asks. "Believe me, I understand." She says, looking at Tristan and Joey who were whispering to each other quite animatedly before letting out a rousing chorus of laughter.

"No, that's not it at all! If you would just let me finish-" "Relax" Yami says, cutting into her protests. He casually throws an arm around her shoulder. "You don't need to worry. You're a friend. Friends help out other friends." "But kings shouldn't be forced to live with peasants, much less pay for them." She mutters. "How is the room, by the way?" Yami asks her, looking at her as she averts her own gaze. "It's wonderful." She says plainly. "I still don't think that I ought to be in it. What if someone important needs to stay?" "Then they can use the _other_ guest room" Yami says. "It took us long enough to get you into there, we aren't going to kick you out." "But-" "Don't bother, Alyssa." Joey says, winking at her. "Once Gramps has his mind set, no one can change it. Not even you."  
"Oh..." She sighs. "Hey! Give me back my shoe!" Tea shouts, and the two look up to see Tea running after Joey, who is waving her pump at her. Tristan is holding a furious Tea around the waist, trying not to laugh and lose his group. She steps on his toe, however, and begins to chase after the blonde haired rascal.

The pair laughs as they watch the comical scene. After a moment of quiet silence, Alyssa looks to the sky and asks "How were the papers, my Lord? Did they help you any?" "Well…" the Pharaoh begins, not knowing how to answer the question. "I learned a lot." He said, trying to find some kind of middle ground or phrase in his head. "But you didn't remember anything, did you?" She asks him softly. "No. No I didn't." he says, sighing. "There still are a few more books that I didn't look through for you." She begins. "If you want, I could read through them and-" "No, it's okay." He tells her. "I appreciate it, really I do." He says as he notices her slow her paces, attempting to fall behind. "I don't want you to wear yourself out." He tells her. "It's okay. I didn't remember anything either." She states, scrutinizing the pavement as she walks.. She gives a little nervous laugh. "I was hoping that you might have a bit more luck than I did."

"Yugi!" They hear, and both look up. "You wouldn't happen to know what that is, eh?" Joey says, a finger pointing upward. All heads turn towards the stars and the flashes of colored strands that remind one of a dancing aurora. "What is it?" Alyssa asks, catching her breath. "I…don't know." The pharaoh merely says. A large eye appears in the midst of all this and glares at the small group. A wind ruffles through the air as they step back. A small glowing light appears in the pharaoh's card deck…

"Hmm? What's this?" he says, pulling it out. "Yugi-" he exclaims. "It's the card-the card from our dream!" "What do you think we are supposed to do with it, Pharaoh?" he asks. The Pharaoh eyes the vision in the sky. "Why don't we try and use it to get rid of that?" He says. Holding the card up, he says "Now it's time to test this out. Eye of Tamias!" A cyclone circles around as wind whips about the group. A dragon appears and glares at the eye. Letting out a blast, it hits its mark squarely, and the gusts of wind intensify. Each tries to brace themselves against the squall. A noise is heard and both the dragon and eye disappear.

"…Well, that was different." Yugi remarks. "Aw man." Joey groans. "Why can't normal things happen to us?"

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Sighs Is anyone on here reading this? I have no reviews, and I've been checking back for them. I should have all reviews enabled.If you have any interest in this story what so ever, if you could leave a review I would appreciate it (Even if you are telling me it is horrible. I don't mind that people do that so long as they can give me a reason and pointers.) Thank you.


	11. Chapter 11

-- Alyssa once more stepped into the pharaoh's chambers, bowing before him as one of his attendants closed the door behind her. "Good evening" he addressed her lightly. "Good evening, my Pharaoh. May I inquire as to how you have been since last we spoke?" "I've been doing well, thank you." He says. "And you?" "A day can change many things…" she begins, trying to finish the speech she had worked out in her mind to tell him that her visits were coming to an end. "And has it changed many things for you?" he poses, eyebrows raised and sitting up.

Her head still bent, her mouth suddenly becomes dry and she is unable to speak. Sighing, she merely responds "Only the notes in my songs, my Lord." "Splendid." He replies. "I always enjoy your melodies." "Thank you my Lord." She says, a fleeting expression of pain and hopelessness on her face as she is reminded of the near future that must occur. "_Coward_." She tells herself.

"So what have you for me today?" He asks her. "Just another small tune with the hopes of having it blessed by gracing your ears." She says in return. "You are far too modest when it comes to your talents" He tells her. Laughing slightly, she tells herself "I almost hope you're wrong."

And she begins as she always does, and as always the notes sweep away it's listeners into worlds of fantasies and dreams. Worlds where the trees are thick and dense, where the tropical sun is offset by merciful rain. The audience revels in bliss as they escape to this wonderful paradise, the calls of a thousand birds colliding and echoing in endless pleasure. And as always, the melody slows, until it finally stills and comes to an end.

The room is quiet and the silence permeates throughout the room, extending to the far corners and filling up all of its space. As she always does, Alyssa lowers her shell and bows her head slightly forward, awaiting any requests the Pharaoh might make.

Opening his eyes and sitting up again, the Pharaoh gives her a warm round of applause. "As I have said before, you are far too modest." "Thank you, my Lord." She merely says. "It is always my pleasure to play for one with such flattering ears." She tells him. Laughing cheerfully, the Pharaoh says "If that is the case, would you mind playing for me another?" "It is my honor to, my Lord." She says. "But what would you like to hear?"

"How about the one you played night before last?" he asks. "Of course my Lord." She replies, and draws her instrument to her lips, and allows her song to unfold into the air. Once more the notes sing of far away lands and distant treasures, drawing out the imagination of the listeners and sending them to a paradise never known to them before, and all within their own minds. When she is finished, she receives the same warm congratulatings, and entertains more requests. "Would you mind the one that you played last week?"

"If you would be so kind, the one that I believe you played a mere five days ago?"

"The one that I heard you play the first time you came?"

Finally he is sated for the evening. "You must come again tomorrow." He says with a smile. "It will be my honor to play for my King another night." She replies, tucking away her instrument. She bows before him and exits his suite, making towards the palace exit onto the main street.

Stepping into her small abode, she places her bag down upon the table, holding onto it for balance. 'This is ridiculous" she told herself. "I've got to stop." She says, trying to remember what it was she had eaten last and failing. Withdrawing the pouch containing her uneaten lunch, she places all that was within, save one roll, into its place. She walks over to her reed mat and slumps down onto it, munching on her roll.

"I've finished these few" She says, fingering a few garments on the ground as she eats. "But…we're running out. I need to get some more." She tells herself. Sighing, she finishes the small piece of bread and lays down. "I can't…I have to tell him tomorrow." She whispers to herself before laying down.

As she does she closes her eyes, imagining the few sparse coins in the box. After tomorrow, she'd be down to her last three coins- her emergency spares. And after that…well, to say it plainly if she couldn't find a way to get seven pieces they'd lose the house.

"I have to…I have to…" She told herself as her eyelids drooped and she began to sink into unconsciousness.

She was broke.

"You have a package, Yugi" Mr. Mutou says, handing a brown box out to his grandson Yugi. "A package? For me?" Yugi says, taking it. "I wonder who it could be from." "Why don't you open it then, Yug?" Joey asks him as they walk into the living room. Joey flops down onto the couch, Tea sitting up politely next to him. Tristan sits in the chair as Yugi kneels, placing the brown box on the table. Yami rests against the wall.

"Hmm…" Yugi Reads. "From Duelist Kingdom." "DUELIST KINGDOM?" Joey shouts. "DON'T TOUCH IT YUGI! JUST BACK AWAY!" He says, retreating into the corner of the couch. "But-" Yugi begins. "That things bad news, Yugi!" Joey shouts, jumping behind the couch. "Don't you remember what happened last time?"

Memories of Yugi placing a tape into the VCR that came in a similar box played through his mind. He remembered the shadow game he'd been forced into, where he'd lost, and his grandfather's soul had been taken as the prize. Of course, they had gotten it back, but it had been a difficult journey. Nobody was looking forward to another such task.

At this Alyssa walked into the room, her hair pulled back away from her eyes. Two tendrils had escaped their place, however, and hung down by her eyes. She was holding a broom in her hand, the other sweeping back the loose strands.

Yugi suppressed a giggle as he saw the Pharaoh straighten up as she walked in, though she could not see him. 'Is their something funny?" She asked, a suspicious smile on her face, looking at Yugi. "Or is there, OH!" she said as a hand grabbed her arm and jerked her downwards. "Ah…my side." She said as she landed on her arm. "What was that for?", she demands as she sits up and places a hand to her side, looking at Joey. "Trust me, you don't want to be over there. Don't you play that tape, Yugi! It only means trouble!" he says.

"What?" she says, confused. "I've no idea what you are talking about, but I'm afraid you'll have to tell me later. I still have to finish the kitchen, and-" "You're STILL cleaning?" Tristan interjects. "Yes, I am. Is there something wrong with that?" she asks him. "But you've already been doing that for two hours now!" he says. "Well, I'm sorry, but Mr. Mutou says I can do this in leau of rent, so why don't you just sit and watch your movie? It doesn't involve you anyway."

The bickering goes on a few minutes, as Yugi looks to Yami. "So what do you think? Should we play this tape? Yami? Yami!" "Hmm. What?" The Pharaoh asks, startled. Yugi gives a little laugh as the Pharaoh blushes and turns red, looking away from Alyssa. "I was asking if you think we should play the tape?" Yugi says, laughing inwardly a little at the redness of the Pharaoh's face. "Oh." Yami replies. "Well, there might be something important on it, so yes, I do think we should play it. Best to keep up our guard though." He says. "Okay then. We're playing the tape!" Yugi announces to everyone.

"Oh gosh. Better hold on to something solid!" Joey yells taking hold of one of Alyssa's arms pulling her down again. "Oof!" she says, and glances over seeing him anxiously holding onto an arm of the couch.

Inserting the tape, Yugi steps back and everyone focuses on the television. The image of a man with purple hair comes onto the screen. "Hello, yugi boy." He says. "Haven't seen you in a while. How come we never talk anymore?" It asks sarcastically. "Right then. Down to business." He says. "I'm afraid I need your help." The tape goes on to further explain his worries that someone is after him for a special purpose, but that it is too risky to talk about it on tape. So instead, they will be taking his private plane to Duelist Kingdom and they will discuss it there. "Enclosed in the box you received should be a card. This is a special card that will allow you through my security systems. DO NOT LOSE THAT CARD!" The man shouts as a final warning, and the tape ends.

"See Yugi? I told you we should play that tape!" Joey shouts, releasing the arm of the couch. "I seem to recall you weren't exactly Mr. Lion heart a few minutes ago, Joey." Tea taunts him. "Hey!" Joey shouts.

Suddenly Yugi begins laughing and a very red Pharaoh turns away, blushing furiously, and walks into the kitchen, unnoticed by the others. "Well, I guess I'd better start packing." Tea says, standing up. "Me too." Tristan says. "I guess I'd better go then too." Joey says. "I'll need to call Serenity too." Straightening up, Yugi adds. "Don't forget your sunscreen!"

"No worries, Yug." Joey shouts as he walks out, a hand in the air. "Yeah, see you later." Tea says. "I guess I'll be finishing up then." Alyssa says, retrieving her fallen broom from the floor. "Aren't you coming?" Yugi asks her. "Well, he only really asked for you." She begins. "He doesn't even know me, besides. I have all this cleaning I ought to be doing and-" "Nonsense!" Yugi says. "Of course you're coming." He says. "But-" "Take a break." Mr. Mutou says, entering and putting something on one of the shelves. "You need a vacation anyway." "But-" "Oh come on. Please?" Yugi says. "But- I…oh fine." She says.

"Yay!" Yugi shouts. "I'm still finishing the kitchen though." She says, marching off to it. "She sure is stubborn, that one." Mr. Mutou says shaking his head. "Yeah." Yugi agrees, watching her leave. Only then did he realize what exactly the Pharaoh had done, and burst out laughing once more.

--Alyssa set down the water jugs as she quickly grabbed her bag and left the building in the morning light. Returning the few items she had been commissioned to do, she made her way towards the palace. Walking up the stairs she looked about her; people were beginning to come out of their houses. The morning was still cool. Well, cooler than it would be later on.

She stepped into the front room of the palace and went to her location. "Hello, Mudada." She said. She only received a nod in response, but that was alright. She had not expected much else. She continued on to where she usually left her supplies, picking up a brush and small pot with which she held water.

"Haven't seen you in a while." One of the other women remarked as they began their task. "Thought you were too good for us, eh?" "You didn't actually think you could escape this, did you?" another one replied haughtily. "You should have known you could never do better in life. On your knees is where you belong." Yet another one replied. "Too good to talk to us now?" One woman asked.

"You did not desire my conversation when I was willing to give it and instead laughed at me as I posed hopeful questions. Why then, are you angry when I have finally stopped? I should think that you would be glad I no longer tried." She said, dipping her brush into the pail and scrubbing some more.

"You're a rat, do you know that?" One woman told her. "You may think that if you wish." She merely replied and went on with her work. They left her alone then, but whispered amongst themselves. _"I'm sure that's all about me."_ She thought to herself. They kept their volume down, but after a few minutes forgot all about politeness and merely spoke allowed in their normal voices.

"I wonder what it is she did that she is not there gain today. Did she really believe that maat would let her get away with such things?"

"I heard she was a witch and tried to put a spell on the Pharaoh."

"Foolish child. Her evils could never overpower the powers the Pharaoh holds."

She blinked back furious tears as she went on about her work, trying to ignore the hurtful slings and comments. "_Why am I so upset?"_ she asked herself as she used more water. _"This is nothing new. They've done worse before."_ She scrubbed the tile in front of her_. "I know they're wrong. I'm seeing him again tonight."_

"_And tonight I'll have to tell him that I can no longer come."_ She told herself, and her shoulders slumped as she sighed. Then she tensed up in shock as she felt a bucketful of water dumped down her back. Dropping her brush she began attempting to wipe away the larger pieces of dirt and stone that had gotten caught by her eyes. The others laughed, she could hear them as one stated that they merely tripped and spilled their bucket. After a minute or so she finally decided to allow her eyes to wash out the last little bit and, with red eyes, began her job again.

"_I can't even go home to change"_ she thought as she continued scrubbing and washing the palace floor. And so she continued working throughout the day, her dress drying as the hour passed by. The water was dirty, however, and in some places her dress appeared brown. By lunch it was completely dry though, and she began packing up her tray as was her habit now, saving only a roll for herself. Her stomach growled for more as she finished. "I can't spare any more." She told it. "If I do, then my parents won't be able to eat." She sighed and rested her head against the wall. The past few days had been horrible.

She'd been posted in other places for a few days, doing work only where it was needed rather than where she normally was. Today was her first day returning to that spot, and she hadn't gotten much of a warm welcome.

She knew that some people came in and worked through the night at the palace; the lights were always on. There was always some kind of activity. Perhaps she could go to a job after her performance. She'd have to ask about that later.

She took a drink of water. At least she never had to worry about running out of that. _"But you are low on everything else. You make only enough to get you by. If you can't gather up some more customers…"_ she ended the thought before she had to finish it.

"_I thought you were telling him you were quitting_?" Her brain yelled at her. "_I know."_ She thought. "_But…"_ She sighed. "_Tonight."_ She told herself. _"I have no other choice. I have to tell him tonight."_


	12. Chapter 12

"Now boarding for Duelist Kingdom" An airy voice said over the loudspeaker. "that's us!" Yugi said as he and the rest of the gang walked forward. "I'm so excited!" Tea said. "Yeah. Hopefully we'll get this business done soon so we can party!" Joey said, laughing loudly. "Did you remember your sunscreen, Joey?" Tristan asked him. "Grr…yes, I did. Serenity made me take it." He sighed. "What is it with you people and sunscreen?" he said.

Yugi glanced behind and saw Alyssa looking around. "First time to the airport?" Joey asked, noticing the same thing. "…Hmm?" She asked. "Oh…yes, it is." She told him. "Congratulations." Tea said. Thanks" Alyssa replied, smiling.

"Oh! I'm sorry!" She said a few moments later, bumping into someone. Turning to apologize, she backs towards the group, hitting into another passerby. "Excuse me she says, turning towards them. Suddenly a wave of people leaving for the Bahamas passes through their section, carrying her away in the crowd. "Sorry! Sorry. I'm sorry. Oh! I'm sorry! Excuse me. pardon me. Might I…sorry…Um, I need thr-sorry!"

Shaking his head, Yami takes over and walks into the crowd, retrieving a very red and embarrassed Alyssa by her elbow and leading her out of the masses. They finally make it out of the swarm and back over to the group. Everyone turns to look at her, and she looks away and casts her eyes downward as she notice the Pharaoh looking at her.

"Well, I kept bumping into people and I didn't want to be rude…" she mumbles. The Pharaoh just laughs and she turns even redder. "It's okay. Now come on! We've got to be going."

They continue walking. "Aye…security." Joey groans. "Place your bags onto the belt and step away please." A woman says. The group places their various suitcases and bags onto the moving belt as they go underneath the XRAY machine. Alyssa pauses behind the woman and watches the bags go through on the monitor. "May I help you?" the woman asks her. "Oh, no, I'm fine." She says nervously, and scoots to the end.

As the luggage reaches the end, each person takes up their bags in turn and starts off. "Hey, Alyssa, where's all your stuff?" Joey asks her as she slings her bag over her head in the mail-carrier style. "Oh…" she says, playing with her hands. "Did you forget something?" the Pharaoh asks her. "We can go back. "No it's fine…" she says. "It's okay. We don't mind." Tea says. "No, it's…that is to say…well, it's …it's just… this is all I have, so…" She blushes again, embarrassed and looks away. "Oh…yeah… I forgot." Joey says. "It's nothing. Let's just go." She says quickly, studying her shoes.

"The gate's this way." Yami says, adjusting the bag he is carrying on his shoulder. "Great!" "Alright!" The group mixes in hurried, nervous tones. They continue walking throughout the airport before they finally come to their destination, where they can see a few men awaiting their arrival.

"Yugi Mutou?" A man in a dark, black suit asks them. "Yes." Yugi answers, having switched back. "And who are all of these people?" Another one asks. "These are my friends. They'll be coming with me." He states. Two of the men look at each other and nod their heads. "Okay then. This corridor leads onto the jet." One of them says. "Great." Yugi says. "Where do you want us to put our luggage?" Joey asks, adjusting his shoulder bag again. "We'll take care of that." One of them says. Each in turn hands them their bags. One of the men comes to Alyssa and tries to take her bag, but she backs up a few steps and holds onto it. "No…thank you. I'd rather hold on to it myself." She tells him. The man looks her up and down, and she can feel his gaze scrutinizing her faded clothing. "It's okay." Yami says, putting a hand on her shoulder and having once more taken control of Yugi's body. "It'll be just fine." Hesitating, she holds on to it, but concedes and allows the man to take it, removing it from her shoulder. She watches him exit down a different corridor when she feels a hand on her shoulder. "It's going to be fine. He's just going to put it in the cargo area. You'll get it when we land." The Pharaoh tells her. Feeling her cheeks getting warm, Alyssa scurries to catch up with the rest of the group. The Pharaoh merely shakes his head, smiles, and follows after.

--The doors to the Pharaoh's bedchambers are opened for her once more by one of his servants as Alyssa leans against the wall for support as her breathing returns to normal. She had run to the room from the room she had been working on. She hadn't had time to think of a song for him tonight. She had begun thinking of a melody, but she had not practiced or tried it. She hoped everything would work out on its own, and she said a silent prayer to the gods to help her.

"Miss…Miss…MISS!" One of the servants calls to her, bringing her back to the world. "Oh…I'm sorry." She mutters, straightening up and stumbling forward. She hadn't slept in a day and half, and hadn't eaten in two. She was all out of money now, and her lunch rations were only enough to feed her parents.

She entered into the room and placed a hand against the wall for support. "Good evening, my Lord." She said, and placed her palms together, bowing as she usually did. Once she was done she leaned up against the wall. "Has the day treated you kindly?" she asks him. "Yes, it has." He answers her. "And you?" he replies, raising his eyebrows at her noticeably weakened state. "Hmm?" she asks, opening her eyes. "I'm sorry my Lord; yes, I've been well."

"Really?" he asks, not believing her, and for obvious reason. "Yes, I'm fine." She repeats. Hesitating, she tells herself that she has to confess that she can not come anymore. _"What is more important?"_ her brain demands of her. "I…I'm afraid…that…"

"Yes?" The pharaoh asks. She sighs. "I'm afraid that my song might not be as well as usual tonight, my Lord. My hands are rather tired and sore from a few occurrences. I shall promise to have it better tomorrow." She says. "That is fine." He says to her. "Do you think you should play on it tonight then?" he asks. "I would not wish you to do yourself harm." He says. "_It's a sign!"_ her brain says._ "Tell him!"_

"It should be fine." She says, quieting her thoughts. "Shall I begin then?" she asks. "Yes…you may." The Pharaoh answers, looking at her as she unsteadily straightens up.

She raises her instrument to her lips and plays a song, but not the song she intended on. Instead she poured into it her sorrows, her pressures, her longings and unanswered wishes. It was a very soulful tune, as sad as her others happy. Indeed the room was quiet once more, and many a tear was shed from those whose would normally boast possession of a dry eye.

"Rather different from your others, no?" the Pharaoh asks her, watching her for signs. "This one was not a light and merry melody that you usually come up with. Tell me; is there a grievance upon your heart?"

"No, my King. It is only that I am rather tired. I apologize; I shall try to think of something lighter and more cheerful for tomorrow." She offered, her eyes wanting to fill with tears. "Are you positive that you are alright?" he asks her yet again. "Your skin is pale and you have trouble remaining upright on your feet, and there are circles under your eyes. You look a little undernourished as well." He said.

"No!" she answered quickly…a little too quickly in fact, and he raised his eyebrows. "I mean, I am well at home, my Lord. It is only that I am tired. I shall try and rest some more."

"Take the day off tomorrow, so that you might get well." he tells her. "I would not want such a talented musician to fall prey to harm due to lack of sleep and stubbornness." Inwardly panicking, she merely said "Yes, my Lord." And left the room, leaning an arm against the wall for support.

Once outside she began thinking. "_I can't disobey an order from my Pharaoh! What if he were to catch me? What then?"_

"_But you have nothing left. You must go."_ Sighing, she knew she'd have to be cautious. To disobey the Pharaoh could mean death, though she hardly thought it would be fair. She decided to wake up the next morning, work the first half and rest while thinking of a song for the next.

She entered her house and went about her normal routine of putting away that afternoon's lunch. Her stomach growled as she set it down but she did not consume any of it. She stiffened her resolve to help her parents first. She'd figure something else out later. She walked over to her mat and laid down on it. She scrunched up her eyes and nestled her head deeper into her arms.

"_Why do some things have to be so hard?"_

"Now, I don't know about you, but I could get used to this." Joey says as he rests his arms behind his head. Tea and Tristan sit opposite the others, while Alyssa, Joey, and Yugi sit on the back seat. The group has been talking for some time now. The Pharaoh, who somehow had enough room to sit next to Yugi speaks with him. "Did you enjoy the plane ride?" Yami asks him. "Hmm?" Yugi says, turning to look at him. "Oh yes." Yugi says. "It was great. But I think I know someone who enjoyed it more than us all." He says. The Pharaoh takes the empty seat opposite to Yugi, though none of the others notice and looks over at Alyssa, currently looking out the window. "Yes, she did seem to enjoy it."

A scene comes back to him from when they entered the plane. It was impressive, and he heard her gasp in shock. The group walked forward and chose their seats. "…so, where do we sit?" she asked as she had seen them walking around. "Wherever you want." Yugi said. "You mean…we sit _here_?" she said, flabbergasted. "Well…yeah." Joey said. "Where else do you think you're going to sit?" Tristan asked. "But it's so…so…" "Fancy?" Tea said. Joey collapsed into a chair and kicked it back. "Ya gotta give Pegasus credit for one thing. He knows how to ride in style."

At that point she went around looking at the seats. "They're all so nice." She said as she heard Yugi laugh. "I don't know which one I'm supposed to go in." "Well why don't you just sit here?" Yugi asked and gestured to one of the seats near him. She went over and sat down. "You sure you don't mind?" She asked him with hopeful eyes. "Of course not. It's fine." He said. She looked happier than she had since they'd met then, and she settled into the chair.

A movie screen had come down and she had gotten excited. An older film played that he had seen before, but she watched with attention as she had never viewed it. Halfway through the video, she had fallen asleep on his arm. It had been the Pharaoh's then, but she hadn't noticed in her excitement. Yugi looked across and knew that was what the Pharaoh was thinking about.

"So what's up?" he asked him bluntly. "Hmm?" The Pharaoh said, breaking out of his trance. "You like her then?" he asked him, a slight smile on his face as if he were teasing? "What? Oh…no…" The Pharaoh said. "She's pretty." Yugi commented to him. "Oh yes, she's very attractive." The Pharaoh replied. Yugi chuckled as he saw the Pharaoh enter into another spell.

The limo slows to a halt and they saw the driver get out. "Eh? What's he doin?" Joey says. The driver disappears for a few minutes before some members (namely Tristan and Joey) become a little irritated. "That's it. I'm going to check and see what he's doing." Tristan says. "Me too." Joey says. They get out of the car and walk over to the store. Stretching her arms out, Alyssa says "Might as well stretch our legs while we've stopped." She opens her door and climbs out, the others following suit.

They walk around for a few seconds before Joey return. "I don't get it. Where could he have gone?" Joey asks. "What do you mean?" Tea says. "No one's here!" he says. "What?" The Pharaoh asks. "No one!" Joey repeats. "Oh, I'm sure there must be someone here." Tea says. "No. I checked. The buildings all locked up and it's dark inside."

At this point, Tristan returns. "He's not in the little boy's room." He says. "Where could he have gone?" Tea asks. "He couldn't just disappear into thin air."

A low roar can be heard in the distance. "What's that?" Alyssa asks, shielding her eyes with a hand and looking down the road. "It looks like it's coming this way." Yugi comments to Yami. Only a minute later a motorcycle gang can be seen tearing up the road. "Get inside!" Tristan yells running toward the building. "But, the buildings are locked!" Joey says. "What?" Tristan asks, but it is too late. The bikers have caught up with them and chase them into a tight circle, their backs to each other.

"Well, well, well, what have we got here?" One of them says. "Looks like a couple of tourists." Another answers. "Tourists on our turf." Another says. "Turf? What do you mean 'turf'?" Tea asks. "This is just a broken down convenience store on the side of the road!"

"But it's _our_ broken down convenience store on the side of the road." A different one says. "We should teach them a lesson for messing with our property" another member adds. At this the group gets slightly tighter. It does not go unnoticed by the Pharaoh that Alyssa takes a step in front of him, as if protecting him, as he had switched to protect Yugi.

"Guys, guys, guys." The first one says. "You know how we treat travelers. We give them a _warm welcome_." "Yes. Let's be 'ospitable, eh?" one of the bikers repeats. "I agree." Says the third. "Yes…a warm welcome indeed." The leader comments and pulls out a chain. The others of the group take out their own weapons, ranging from clubs and chains to knives. Everyone gets into fighting stances, preparing to take on their attackers. "Raaar!" the leader waves, pulling back his chain. Suddenly a whizzing sound is heard, and the man's chain breaks in two.

"What?" The group asks as they see their leader fall to the ground. He gets up a second later, furious, and a scratch mark bleeding on his face. "Get them!" he shouts and the gang moves in. Quickly Yami, Yugi, Tristan, Joey, Tea, and Alyssa scooch around towards the car. The girls climb in as Tristan climbs into the driver side door. "Have you ever driven one of these before?" Tea asks him nervously. "No, but I'm gonna learn." He says, shifting the car into drive.

"Joey! Get over here!" the pharaoh calls out, standing by the door as Joey crouches down to the ground and picks something up. He looks up as another new biker drives past him and takes whatever was in his hand. Alyssa bursts out of the door and runs to grab him, pulling him along. "We've got to go!" she tells him. Both dive into the car as the Pharaoh climbs in and shuts the door. They are quickly sucked to the back of the seat as Tristan floors the gas pedal, tearing them away from the perilous scene.

Through the back window, they see the run down gas station explode…


	13. Chapter 13

--Tired eyes slowly open as bursts of sunshine greet them with the light of a late morning glare. Alyssa moans into her pillow slightly, then bolts upright.

"Oh no! I overslept!"

Quickly she gets dressed and walks outside to see the position of the sun. "No…" she whispers. "It wouldn't matter to leave now…I'm too late!" She runs back inside and looks for the clothes she had finished last night. Ah! There they were, by her bedside. She must have fallen asleep right after she had finished them, for they hadn't even been put into their proper basket. Hurriedly she packs them into her bag and rushes off to the homes of their owners.

"You're late." The first woman snaps at her. "I know, it's just-" "You were supposed to have these to me this morning!" The woman continues. "I'm sorry, but I-" "I can not always be waiting on you all day!" She growls. "It wasn't that late!" Alyssa shouts to stem the flow of angry words. "It is here now, would you like to take it or no?"

"Of course I'm still taking it. I need at least _something_." She says. "Well then, I will need the money for it." The woman disappears into the house and flings a coin out at her." "There. Now be off with you." "I thought I said two!" Alyssa says. "That isn't much." She says. "You'll get one and be happy with it. You can not expect full payment for late merchandise."

"But you don't understand, I need the-" The woman slams the door on her and she is forced to walk away. "I can still get the seven if I hurry." She tells herself. She quickly goes to her next destination, where she meets the same comments, and the next as well.

Finally having delivered all of her garments and mendings to their respective owners, she holds four coins in her palm. "This isn't enough." She says inwardly panicking. "everyone promised me at least two…that would have been enough…but this!" he closed her hand into a fist around the coins angrily. Blinking back hot tears, she thinks "Why do people have to be so evil sometimes?"

Running back towards her house, she stops at the homes of a few people she knew. "Ah, Alyssa! How may I help you? My wife has not been the same since you gave her those roots." "I'm so glad to hear she is better." Alyssa smiles in reply. "Yes, yes. Anything I can ever do for you, anything at all, you name it." Sighing, she begins. "I'm glad to hear you say that. I'm afraid that I need a small loan, just one or two coins? I promise to have it back to you soon."

The man furrows his brows. "I'm afraid I can't help you there. I'm grateful that you helped her sickness go away, but I haven't any money." "Ah, good to see you! I was wondering what I should bring." Another man says, coming up from behind. "…Bring to what?" Alyssa asks, looking between the two. "Why, the party!" The man says, throwing his arms up in the air. "In celebration of the long sickness vanishing." "Oh…" she says, looking away. "I'm very sorry." He says. "But I have to go." And retreats into the house.

Alyssa sighs as she walks away onto the next house where aid has been promised her. Again and again, she is turned away. "I don't have the money right now." "I'm busy. Get back to me tomorrow." The last one says. "But I-" and the door is closed on her again.

Walking back to her house she feels the four coins in her pocket. _"It's half…maybe he'll allow me some time for the rest." _Her mind thought hopefully, grasping at straws. She looks at the ground as she walks, contemplating what she must do. Hearing two voices, she looks up.

"My daughter will be returning with what you need." She hears her mother say. "Give her only a little time to get here." "I'm a very busy man and I haven't got the time to wait around all day for some-"

"I'm here." She announces before he can finish his sentence. Her mother looks relieved, and he turns around. "Yes, well, then, where is it? You know the routine, seven pieces a day." He says. "Yes, I do." She nods at him. Hesitating, she turns to her mother. "Mother, perhaps it would be best if you waited inside today." "Is something wrong?" her mother asked. "No, it's just…please?" she said. "Alright…" Her mother turns, suspicious and worried eyes looking back to her as she walks in.

"So, where is it?" the burly, fat man asks her. "I'm sorry. I haven't enough to pay you for today. I have but four coins, give me a few days and I'll have the other ones to you, I swear it."

"You don't have it?" he roars. "You don't have my payments!" "I'm sorry, it's just I've been busy as of late and-"

"I don't need excuses!" he yells. "Or have you forgotten the deal we made?" he angrily requests. "No, I have, and I've always had it on time. I've just been busy with other things and I haven't been able to collect the entire amount on time. As I've said, if you'll give me a few days for the rest," she begins, her words growing faster as she panics inwardly. "I'm not a man to wait on things. If you don't have it, then you are out." "But I have four of the coins! That's the greater half!" She says. The man reaches out a hand and swipes them from her open palm. "Then I will take them as rent for a partial day, and you must leave. Now."

All the noise had attracted a few people and her parents. Looking at the sky, she hesitated again. "Wait." She says, and went inside. She walked over to the box once more and opened a secret space, a small space, and tipped the box into her hand.

Out fell a small jewel, bluish green in color, and rough. She looked at it, felt it between her fingers, and went outside. She extended her hand to the man. "Here." She said, and dropped the jewel into his outstretched palm. Her mother gasped. "Not your jewel!" She said, pained. "It's alright mom. We need the house more." Alyssa told her. "But you risked your life for that! Do you not remember how you got it?"

She did. It was before the illness, when she would take the wash to the river and help her mother. One of the articles they were working on was washed away in a current, and she had jumped in to retrieve it. ON the way back she had seen the stone pass by the surface and turned quickly, chasing it. Unfortunately, the crocodiles also patrolled those shores. She'd nearly died that day from being eaten by one. She had outsmarted it though, and caught the small prize. She remembered offering it to her mother. "No, you keep it." She had said. And she had, all these years.

But she held by what she said. They needed the house more than anything, and a small rock was nothing compared to that. The man took it in his hands. "This will do fine." He said, pocketing it. "Make sure you have your rent for tomorrow." He said, waving a finger at her before turning off and leaving. As soon as he was gone they turned and went back inside.

"Why did you give it to him?" her mother barraged her. "It's nothing, mom. It's just a rock. Relax. It's not like I was doing anything with it anyway. "But you liked it so much!" her mother said. "It was the one pretty thing you had and-" "Mom!" she said, and her mother grew quiet. "It's not that big a deal." She said, softer. She saw her shell and remembered where she ought to be.

"I need to go." She said to her parents. If she got there in time she might be able to earn a piece or two. She goes and gets her bag, throwing it over her shoulder, and picking up her bag. _"Besides, if I don't get there soon, then I won't get one of the lunch trays._" She thought to herself. "Don't worry, everything will be fine." She told her parents. She could see her own worry in their eyes, but hers was for different reasons. She turned away and walked out the door, running towards the palace to make the zenith meal.

"Oh yeah, this is MUCH better than the limo." Joey complains as they walk on the side of the road down the desert. "Well, perhaps if you hadn't taken so long to get in the car I wouldn't have had to drive so fast and we wouldn't have burned the engine out!" Tristan retorts. "Ah, it doesn't matter." Joey says evading the question.

After the incident, the group had driven off at incredible speed. However, the car overheated and they were now reduced to walking. Currently they were walking with the most important of their luggage, hoping to hitchhike their way to town.

"Gaah…my shoulder's killing me." Joey says, switching the shoulders his bag is resting on. "We've barely been walking half an hour!" Tea says. "It doesn't matter." Joey says. "I'm still a little tired."

"I can take that for you." Alyssa offers, reaching out an arm for it. "Really? Wow! Thanks!" Joey says as he begins to hand off the bag to her and she accepts it. "Joey," Yami says, turning around. "If you make her carry that bag…" His look says it all. "Oh, fine." He says, taking the bag back. "I guess I can carry it." He says.

"Alyssa." The Pharaoh calls to her. "Yes, my King?" she answers speedily. "You can come up here and walk with me." He says, noticing Joey trying to hand the bag off to her again, and she ready to take it.

"Oh, um…uh…I…I guess…ah…okay then…" She says, moving to walk behind him. "You can come up next to me." He tells her. "No, I'm okay here." She says, looking down and away. He stops so that she almost runs into him.

"Oh! My Lord, I'm so sorry. I…I wasn't paying attention." "Now you've done it!" he says. "What?" she asks, tensing up, her eyes growing wide. "Look at this! I've sand all over my shoes now." He jokes. She however, doesn't notice it. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to, I swear! I'm so sorry! I'll clean it off!" she says, kneeling down quickly to wipe it off.

Surprised that she didn't understand he was joking, Yami quickly backs up. "No, no, it was a joke." He explains. "But I-" "Didn't expect that you would take me seriously." Yami tells her. "I'm just teasing. There's sand everywhere. I was just trying to stop you from being behind me." He says. "Well, that is easily accomplished," she mumbles, and moves to the other side of the group, her eyes still aimed towards the ground and not looking at any member of the group.

They continue on, the Pharaoh inwardly kicking himself due to the backfire of his joke. "Do you want me to take over?" Yugi asks. "No, I'm fine. I wouldn't want you to have to do this." He smiles at him, referring to the trek through the desert with the weight of the suitcase.

About a mile later they hear a rumble in the distance. A car can be seen on the horizon. "Let's flag it down." Joey says. "Wait, I've got a better idea." Tea says, spying a large boulder on the side.

A few minutes late, the car slows to a stop, the two girls standing on the side of the road. Smiling, the driver asks, "Can I give you two ladies a ride?" "Just to town, thanks." Tea says. "But…we also need some help getting our friends there too." Alyssa adds. 'Friends?" the drier says, a perplexed expression on his face. Guiltily, the men walk out from behind the boulder. The driver stares for a moment and then puts.

No more than a minute or two later, the group is settled into the back of the truck, driving along towards town. "Finally, off to Industrial Illusions!" Joey says, stretching before putting his arms behind his head. "I wonder who that person was." Tea says, referring to the biker crusader that had helped them escape the motorcycle gang. "It was Mai." Joey says, with a head as big as an elephants, a smug expression on his face. "And how would you know that?" Tea asks him dubiously. "Simple. The card on the ground was Harpie Lady, Mai's signature card. And I got a look at her through her helmet." He added.

Everyone smiled. "Who's Mai?" Alyssa asked, confused. "Oh! That's right. You wouldn't know Mai." Joey said sitting up. "She's a really good duelist we met in Duelist Kingdom." Tristan says. "Duelist Kingdom?" Alyssa repeats, growing more confused by the second. "It was a dueling tournament held by the guy we are about to see." Yami says. "…Okay then." Alyssa says, leaning back and looking up at the clouds. "The lady on the bike that helped us out is an old friend of yours that you met at a tournament called Duelist Kingdom that was hosted by the man we are traveling to see?" she says. "Exactly." Tea says. "Great." Alyssa says with a smile.

About half an hour's drive further, they come to the city. "Here you are." Says the rather grumpy driver. "Thanks" Tea says, giving him a bright smile as everyone gets off. "You were great." She leans up and gives him a small peck on the cheek. He brightens up instantly, tips his hat, and drives off.

The group walks together towards the entrance to the building. "Tell me again why we are here?" Tristan asks. "We're here to see Mai." Joey repeats for the umpteenth time. "But how do we even know she's in here?" Tristan proceeds. "Come on, it's Mai! I know her like the back of my hand." Joey says, walking in. "Nudging Alyssa's arm with his elbow so she looked at him, he said "Me and Mai used to be buddies, you know." Smiling at him, she said "Really?" The pharaoh laughs as he hears Joey go on about another one of his tales. He knew very well, as did the rest of them, that she knew they'd been friends. Joey had told her story after story on the way to Industrial Illusions.

They enter the building and enter a large reception area, with a wide open space in the center of the room. "I don't get it, where is she?" Tea asks. Joey stops his chatting and perks up as he hears this. 'I dunno…she ought to be here." Suddenly, the burglary gates come down over the building. "We're being locked in!" Yugi shouts. "Quick, to the exits!" The Pharaoh warns, as they make a mad dash to try and leave before trapped inside. However, they are too late.

"I can't budge these things!" Tristan shouts. "Me neither!" Joey cries, trying to bend the bars. "Look!" Tea shouts and points upward. A figure sitting on a red motorcycle can be seen on a balcony, the tinted helmet still covering their face. The engine revs and smoke curls out from underneath the vehicle.

It starts forward and leaps off the balcony, turning on it's side in midair and landing on the reception floor below. The rider swings a leg over the side, getting off, and straightens up. Long blonde hair cascades down to the girls waist, in all directions.

"Long time no see, Mai." Joey says to her. "It's so good to see you!" Tea exclaims. "Humph." She says and shakes out her hair. "Eh…Mai? You okay?" Joey begins, perspiring slightly at his temple. "Is something wrong?" Tea asks okay. "You can tell us, Mai…we're your frie-" "I was never friends with any of you, you hear?" Mai says, her eyes thinning. "I'm not part of your little loser group, ya got that?" she tells them. "Hey Joey, anything different about that hand of yours?" Tristan whispers to him. Joey ignores him. "Mai…but… I thought that we were friends…"

"WE WERE NEVER FRIENDS!" Mai yells, putting her helmet down on her bike her. She is so loud that she startles the group into jumping. "Ever since Duelist Kingdom, Battle City, and all the other joints I've always been a second rate duelist. And it' all _your_ fault!" she yells.

"MY fault? How do you figure that one?" Joey asks her. "Ever since you've been around I've been force to stand in the back. Joey Wheeler. Joey Wheeler." She says. "I don't know what you're talking about." He tells her, clenching his fist. "Oh really? You've always been holding me back, Joey. Stealing my fame, my publicity. No one cared all the other duels I've won."

"Mai…I never meant for any of that. I don't know where you're getting it from." "Just come on and duel me!" she yells, pulling out a duel disk that looks like that of the mysterious man they battled on the rooftop. "Hey, isn't that…" Yugi begins. "Yes, it is." Yami tells him. "But then-" Yugi starts off but is interrupted by Mai's angry shout. "Time to pay up for all the trouble you've caused me, Wheeler! And you'll do that by paying with your soul!"


	14. Chapter 14

-- Alyssa walked into the room, trying to seem normal. She had not forgotten the Pharaoh's words from before, asking if she was well; she had never expected it of him to notice. She kept her head down slightly more than usual, but not by much. She wanted to hide the dark circles that she was sure must remain, but she did not want him to know that she was attempting to.

However, when she tried to walk she became dizzy and had to reach out a hand to the wall to steady herself. Immediately the Pharaoh noticed. "Not feeling much better today then, eh?" he asks her, his eyebrows raised.

"I am fine, my Lord." She repeats to him, leaning against the wall but trying not to appear so. "It is merely sleep that I require. One day will not cure all ailments." She can hear him sigh from across the room. "Come up here and sit with me." He says.

After a shocked moment, she stammers, "I'm sorry, would you repeat that please? I think that perhaps my weariness is causing me to hear things." The Pharaoh sighs again. "Please, come up here and sit with me." He repeats patiently. Silently, she makes her way over to his bed and stands next to it. Hesitating, she looks away and does a quick bow. "How is it that I may serve you, my Lord? Are you in need of something?" she asks him. "No, I'm fine. Now please, seat yourself." He says. She can tell that this time it is not a polite request but more of an order. Pausing momentarily, she perches herself on the very end of the bed. "What is it you wish of me?" she asks.

"All the way on." The Pharaoh tells her, and she scooches over a little more. "A little more." He tells her, his tone becoming a little lighter, slightly amused at her reserved actions. Sighing yet again he merely says "More." With a small smile, and continues doing so until she is sitting, cross legged, beside him on his bed.

"Now, tell me," he says, trying to look in her eyes and failing as she notices and looks away. "Why are you so pale, and why do you appear so exhausted?" Hesitating while trying to find something that is neither truth nor lie, she vaguely says "Personal issues…at home." And falls quiet, her eyes straying towards the door. "Would you care to tell me what these are?" he asks her gently. _"Yes!"_ her mind screams. _"Yes! Tell him, he wants to know!"_

Swallowing before answering, she states "I would rather not if I did not have to, my Lord. They are rather personal." She can hear her voice shaking. "You are sure then?" he says once more, trying to look at her. "Yes, my Lord." She says, blinking, and looking away.

He sighs. "Then I am excusing you." He tells her. "What?" she gasps. "Just for tonight. Go home. Get your business settled, and then return tomorrow when you can be of lighter mind." He explains. Expelling a breath with relief, she says "Thank you, my Lord. I will not forget such kindness." Hesitating again, she bows her head, palms together, and asks, "Do I have your permission to leave then?" 'Yes, you do." He tells her, and she climbs off the bed and exits. Pausing at the door, her hand on the frame, she says "Thank you, my King." Once more and exits.

Beckoning for one of his runners to come to him, the man asks, "Yes, my Pharaoh, what is it?"

"Follow her." The Pharaoh tells him shortly. "I want to know what she is doing." "But, she said that-" "I know what she said, and I know there is more she did not say. It does not take a clairvoyant to understand that she was not telling the entire truth." "Yes, my Lord." He says. As the man turns to leave, he calls out "Report to me as soon as you know something." "I will, my Pharaoh," the man calls, turning to bow, and exiting.

Alyssa turned down the stairs that led her to the room she had been stationed in. Rubbing her eyes she tried to push away the lethargy that threatened to close her eyelids. Getting down onto her hands and knees, she picked up the brush where it sat and began scrubbing. Thoughts flew through her mind, her stomach also reminding her that it needed its own kind of fuel. "If I finish this and another room, perhaps then I will have enough." She mutters out loud without realizing it. Next to the doorway so that he could not be seen, the spy listens in. For the longest time all that could be heard is the sound of her scrubbing brush against the palace floor. Sitting on the floor, propped up against the wall, the level of activity made it hard for the man to remain awake.

She stopped once, for a few moments, to stretch. As she reached up she almost fell backward, and had she not been so close in proximity to the wall for a stabilizing hand he was quite sure she would have fallen. It sounded like she muttered something to herself. "This is ridiculous, you have to tell him." It sounded like. And then there were a few "But I don't _want_ to." 's.

Around the dawn Alyssa got up and set her brushes to the side, admiring the spotless room. _"I'll get three coins for this one."_ She thought happily. _"And I can get the rest when I come back."_ She didn't want to acknowledge it for fear of ruining it, but she couldn't help herself. _"I might make enough…and if I come back tonight, I can get a head start! Things might finally be going up!"_

Happily, she exited the room, her pail and brush in hand. She left them in another room, equally as dirty as the first had been, and exited the palace. Her tail followed her dutifully, as he had been instructed. In her joy mixed with drowsiness, she did not even notice he was there.

Taking a step back, Joey asks "What do you mean, Mai?" "What I mean is exactly what I said. We are going to duel, and I will prove to the world that I'm better than Joey Wheeler! And you'll pay for making my life horrible, by giving me your soul. "But I like my soul!" Joey protests. "I kinda need it. Soul equals good for me." He says. "And it will be good for me to get you finally out of the way…forever." Mai says, withdrawing some cards.

"Mai, are you serious?" he asks, bewildered. "You can't honestly believe that! We're friends!" "I have told you that we are not, have never been, and will never be friends!" Mai yelled. "I play Harpie lady One, and then the Seal of Orycalcos!" she says. The same green circle that had appeared atop the building falls down upon the area, pushing back everyone close to the opponents. "You're not getting out of this one, Wheeler." She tells him. "Mai!" he yells. "Are you nuts? This thing does bad stuff!" "I know." Mai says. "Bad stuff for you. Now hurry up and play your card." "I'm not dueling against you!" Joey yells, clenching a fist. "Afraid to lose your soul, Wheeler? Coward." She instigates him. "No, in fact, I'm worried I'm gonna win." He says. "I don't want you to lose your soul to this thing, Mai." He tells her. "It's just stupid."

"So now I'm stupid, am I?" She demands of him. "That's not what I said…you're twisting my words!" He tries. "just hurry up and play your cards so that I can be done with this already." After deliberating for a few moments, Joey takes the duel disk that he has on his arm. "Fine Mai. Let's duel."

"What's he doing?" Yugi says. "He could lose his soul!" "Calm down, Yugi." Yami says to him in a soothing voice. "I'm sure Joey knows what he's doing." Yugi sighs. "I guess you're right." He tells him, turning back to watch.

Joey opened with a basic move, allowing Mai's harpies to attack him. "Come on Wheeler," Mai said a few turns later as she destroyed one of his scapegoats. "I want a real match, not you just letting me win."

"But I don't want you to lose your soul." He says to her. He hesitates, biting his lip. "As far as I can see, there is only one way that I can keep you from ending up a mindless shell." Mai, I'm not dueling you." He says, moving his hand to reset the counter to zero.

Everybody gasps. "Joey, no!" Tea shouts. "What're you doing, man?" Tristan yells. "He's throwing the duel?" The Australian accented man from the alleyway says, as all notice him on the balcony with the blonde haired leader. "Joey, this is nonsense!" Yami says, ignoring them. "Mai is hurt and angry. You need to show her what it means to be a real duelist again, and try and bring her out that way." He offers as advice. Pausing again, Joey thinks. "You're right, Yugi." Joey says. "Never mind that Mai." He tells her, straightening up. "This duel is back on!"

"Big words, now prove it." She says, closing her eyes and placing a hand on her hip. Opening and looking straight at the Pharaoh, she says to him "And when I'm done with Wheeler, you're next." Yami says nothing, and merely stares her back in the eyes until Joey makes his move. "I play Panther Warrior, and two cards face down." He says. "Your move Mai."

They continue with their duel, when Yami hears Yugi. "Hey, where'd Alyssa go?" The Pharaoh turns from the battle to Yugi having heard his voice. "Hmm?" he says. "I said, where's Alyssa." "She's right…" the Pharaoh begins, looking around. "I could swear she'd been right here." He said. Looking up, he notices her perched on the stone head of a duel masters statue protruding from the walls, three floors up.

"What are you doing?" he calls up to her. The two on the balcony look upwards. "She's a bloomin' monkey!" The Australian one says. "Where are the God cards?" She asks them. "Excuse me?" The Australian one says again. "Where are the God cards?" she repeats her question. "They aren't in either of your decks."

"How would you know what's in my.." the one begins ad trails off as he notices his cards are not where they had been. "She f- Give me back my cards!" The Australian yells angrily, pointing at her. "And mine too." The blonde one said, his voice angry. "Not until you tell where the God cards are." She says.

"I can't believe she got their cards!" Yami says. "I can" Yugi said. "Half the time I can't even tell when she's nearby, she's so quiet." Yugi says. "If you don't want to tell me, I can always just hold on to these, or toss them." She says. "I'm pretty sure it would be harder than a mere fifty two pickup." She says.

"Alyssa!" She hears the Pharaoh call to her as she is in the middle of a sentence. "Yes, my Pharaoh?" she asks, bowing her head slightly. "Return their cards to them." He tells her. "But, your cards!" She begins. "Now, Alyssa" the Pharaoh says. "Two wrongs do not make a right. It is disrespectful to the cards to harm or steal them. Now give them back."

Slightly put out, she descends by climbing and hopping between statues, landing on the balcony.

"Here." She says, looking a way and holding out the two decks of cards to their owners. "I was told to return these to you." They swipe out a hand and retrieve their decks. "Good, now come on down here." The Pharaoh calls to her when she is done. "Yes, be a good little girl and go away." One of them says. Giving him an evil look, she hops off the balcony and walks, returning to the Pharaoh. "You called for me, my King?" she asks him.

"Don't worry about it. We'll get them back." He says to her. "You can't always be doing things like that. You're going to get hurt." "Yes, my Lord." She says, as if a child being reprimanded. The Pharaoh sighs and shakes his head, conscious of how she moves behind him, her head still bowed.

Turning his eyes back to the duel, he hears Mai call. "What's the matter, Wheeler?" Joey is motionless, though his hand is out holding a card. "I wonder what's going on?" Yugi questions. Joey blinks his eyes. He says "Okay. No more chili dogs before traveling."

Noticing the bright light shining from his card, he says 'It can't be…" Looking at it, he gasps. "It can't be" "He wouldn't have" The two on the balcony start. "Mai!" The brown haired one calls. "Be careful, love!"

"I don't need your help!" she yells, turning to them. "I don't need anyone, so leave me alone, will ya?"

"That's no ordinary card." The blonde one says. "I think you should be a little more gracious that Valin bothers with you at all. If it were me, I would have left you behind long ago." "Oh, come on." The brown Australian, who seems to be called Valin, interjects. "Besides, she's really cute when she's angry."

Mai just growls and turns back. "I don't need your help." She repeats. "Hey, she kinda sounds a little like you." Tristan says turning to Alyssa. Getting red again, she mumbles something and turns away. "Not like this, she doesn't." Tea says. "This is just crazy."

"Hurry up and play your card, Wheeler." She says. "I'm getting bored with you already." "Bored with me? It's like they've brainwashed you!" he tells her. "Mai's just tired of you always getting in her way. Kick him around, Mai!" Valin shouts encouragement. "I don't need you!" she shouts to him. "Play your card, Wheeler!"

"Alright then, if you're so eager." Joey states. "And now I play, the Claw of Hermos!" Joey shouts, his card glowing once more as a dragon emerges on the playing field. "And now I'm going to merge him with my Time Wizard! Go!" he shouts. The middle of the room is a giant, swirling mass as the two creatures begin to combine. "Oh yeah, this is gonna be big!" Joey shouts above the noise. The mass finally begins to take shape. "WHAT?" Joey shouts, a look of shock played across his face.

"OH NO! IT'S A CROQUET MALLETWITH WINGS!" Valin taunts him. "Argg…" Joey says, disappointed. "Don't underestimate it, Joey!" the Pharaoh calls to him. "These cards are not like any others. " "Yeah!" Joey shouts in agreement. "And I'll equip my newest creation with my monster already on the field, giving him a boost!" Joey shouts, and the monster on the field takes the hammer into his wings.

"This better work." Tea says. "Joey's got almost no life points left after those Harpie phoenixes and stuff." She was referring to some of Mai's most special attacks, Harpie phoenix formation, and Harpie Sparrow formation. They caused a massive drainage of Joey's life points.

"Alright, my Harpies, go!" Mai shouts, extending a finger in there direction. "Finish this!" "Not so fast!" Joey calls, as his monster swings out with the hammer.

A wave passes through the playing field, and all of Mai's monsters receive a number on their head. Then, suddenly, a black hole appears in the floor, sucking in all of her monsters!

"What's going on?" She asks, confused, as one of her Harpie's tries to futilely to hold on to the floor and escape the vortex. "I don't know myself." Joey says, looking at the hole. "But I _can_ tell that you are all out of monsters!" Playing another monster to the field, he shouts "Attack!" And the creature goes towards my, taking some of her life points.

"No!" she shouts, her Harpie's in the pit. But then, to everyone's surprise, one returns to the field. "Hah!" she shouts. "I'm still in this, Wheeler!" "Go, Harpie Lady!" she says, and destroys the smaller of Joey's monsters, causig him to come perilously close to losing his life points. "Attack! Again!" Joey exclaims, his strongest monster going out, destroying the Harpie. "Mai's in trouble!" Valin shouts."

"Joey!" the Pharaoh calls to him. "I trust you understand what is going on now?" he asks him. 'Uh…yes?" He says, confused. The Pharaoh explains "Remember how the monsters had a number atop their heads before they were sucked into the vortex?" he questions Joey. "Yes." Joey says, thinking back the past few minutes. "Each turn another monster is released in order. Harpie Lady was first, next will be her pet, another Harpie Lady, etc, according to the numbers."

"Ooooohhhhh!" He says. "I gotcha now!" He pauses thinking. "Heheh. That's good for me. I can win this in a turn or two." He says. "Alright, let's go!" he tells his monster, and it destroys the next of Mai's monsters, decreasing her life points.

"Mai's in trouble!" Valin shouts. "Valin, wait, no!" he yells as the Australian jumps over the side. "With this fragment of the Orycalcos stone, I unlock the Seal!" he shouts. A blinding flash goes throughout the room. When the smoke in the room has cleared, all can see that the trio had left, and there was no more Seal restricting its captives.

"Joey, are you alright?" Tea shouts as they run up to the Youth, laying on the ground. He shakes his head and sits up. "Yeah, but what happened?" "Valin, or so I believe he is called, must have destroyed the Seal, so the duel was ended." The Pharaoh speculates. "That's good." Joey says. "I don't know what was up with Mai, but at least no one lost their soul." "That's for sure." Yugi says.

"Let's check the phones." Tea suggests. "We need to figure out what's going on." "Yeah." Joey says as they walk over to the receptionist's desk. Tea picks up the phone, but isn't even answered with a dial tone. "There's no dial tone." She explains to them all. "The power must be out." Duke says.

"When did you get here?" Tea asks him, only noticing he was there now. "What? You didn't see me?" he says. "I climbed up three flights of fire escapes to find the only open door, and you didn't see me?"

"Well, I see you now." She says to him. "How've you been?" she asks. "I've been good. It's nice in CA." he says. "I ran into a couple of friends of yours." He says. "Friends?" Joey asked. "What friends?" "Two guys, one with funky hair and glasses, the other with brown hair and some kinda other thing?" "Very descriptive." Tea says dryly. "Ah, oh well." he says. "So what are we doing?"

"Well, first we have to find out if anyone is in here since the lines are dead." Yami points out. "Guess you're right." Tristan says. "Yeah…" Joey agrees, and they start walking throughout the building.

They reach the top most floor of the building and come to a room. "Kaiba!" Yami says, surprised, as he sees the handsome teen sitting in Pegasus's chair. "Yugi. Good to see you. Not." He says. "Always a pleasure, Kaiba." The Pharaoh says to him. "What are you doing here?" "Well, Pegasus and I were supposed to have a little chat at his house. I however don't appreciate being cheated so I came here when some fool decides to try and pull one over on me. Of course, I got the upper hand." He says. "o I came here, looking for Pegasus. You haven't seen the dirt bag around, have you?"

"I'm afraid not." Yami says. "We were supposed to meet him at Duelist Kingdom as well. Unfortunately as you can see, I'm afraid we got a little side tracked." "Yeah." Kaiba says, looking at the group. "Well, I've had enough of this. If he gets here tell him he can come to _me_ this time. I'm not waiting around any more."

"Aren't you worried something might have happened to him?" Te asks. "No, not really." Kaiba says. "It's no problem to me if something did anyway." "Kaiba!" she chides him. "Come on, Mokuba, let's go." He says, turning to look for his little brother. "Mokuba, what're you looking at?" he asks. "Just the door." Mokuba says. "It's locked." "Hmm?" Yami says, turning to see it. Next to the door is a slot where you could slide an ID card through, or a security pass. "Hey, Yugi! Try that card he gave you." Tristan tells him. "Good idea." The Pharaoh says, and swipes the card through. A small click can be heard, signaling the lock had been disengaged.

Opening up the door and walking into the room, they see all kinds of statues of monsters, magical cards, and more. "Wow!" Mokuba says. "Look at all this stuff!" "Indeed." Kaiba says, placing a hand a Blue Eyes White Dragon's nose. "But if he's not in here, then we're just wasting our time."

"Have some patience, Kaiba." Yami says to him. "What's this do?" Joey asks, pushing a button.

"Pegasus!" Tristan shouts. "No, you twit, it's a hologram." Kaiba tells him. "See?" he says, sliding a hand through it. "It's just an image of him. "I know what a hologram is!" Tristan says, becoming angry. "I'm sure." Kaiba tells him. Then, the hologram comes to life.

"If you are here it means that I've been captured. So pay close attention." The Pega-gram says. "As you know, I've been researching the history of Duel monsters. For a while now I've been going to various sites around the world, many of them in Egypt. To my surprise I found out that duel monsters might not be new, but a game that is centuries old and may have been played with real monsters and real magic!"

"According to my research, Egypt's powerful Pharaoh's used to play this game, as well as other members of the noble class. However, I have found hieroglyphics that might indicate that it is even older than that, hieroglyphics that tell me that it may have been a key factor in the destruction of Atlantis!"

"As the story goes, there was once three knights who fought to protect Atlantis, which was on the verge of destruction. Their adversary transformed the three nights into three dragons, the Dragons Critias, Hermos, and Timeaus, to weaken them of their power."

"How can turning someone into a dragon weaken-" "Shh!" Tea interrupts Tristan, as the hologram continues.

"Yugi boy, somewhere in this room is a card I have created that will unlock the powers of the three dragons to overcome this evil. Think strategically and you will find it. Let nothing happen to this card!" he yells.

"It is up to you to save us, this world, and my game before all is forced into ruin. Do not let what happened to Atlantis happen again, for it is the old war fought anew. This is more than a mere card game, this is the fate of the two worlds; The monster Realm, and our world. Their destiny lies in your hands." He finishes, and the hologram stops.

"What a lot of hot air." Seto says. "I can't believe I wasted my time with this." "It might not be as foolish as you believe, Seto Kaiba." "I have good reason to believe there is truth behind what he says." "Yadda yadda yadda, let's look for the card!" Joey says, excited. He begins looking underneath a few of the statues. "Pegasus said to think strategically." Yami says. "That was his hint."

"Perhaps…there is a statue in here that resembles something that gives you a card?" Alyssa offers hopefully. Everyone looks at her, but she turns her face away. "It was just a suggestion…" she says as they do, taking a few steps back and pretending to look at a statue.

"No, you might be right." The Pharaoh says. "It's worth a try." "Yeah, well what statue in here is going to give us a card?" Joey says. "Think, what card allows you to draw more?" Yami says to him. "Pot of Greed!" he says, as he spies a statue of the image on one of his cards. Tristan walks over to it and fishes his hand around in the opening, before withdrawing a card. "Ahah!" he shouts. "Eh…I don't know." He says, handing the card to Yugi. The group, including the Kaiba brothers, comes closer to take a look at it. "It's blank." Yugi tells Yami." "Perhaps it will remain blank until we find out what it needs to do." Yami states. "Yeah, yeah, yeah, I'm leaving." Seto says. Seriously. Let's go Mokuba." He says, turning away. "Seto, your cards!" his brother calls to him as a bright light emits from his deck. "Huh?" Seto says, withdrawing the shiny card. "You wouldn't happen to possess one of these, would you?" Yami says, holding out his own dragon, the Eye of Timaeus. "Mine is glowing too." Joey says, as he wips out the Claw of Hermos.

Seto shows them his own card. "You mean you two have something like this?" "Yes." The Pharaoh says. "Well congratulations." Seto states, replacing the card in his deck as it stopped shining and walking away. "Seto! Don't be a fool!" The Pharaoh shouts after him. "Don't you see, we are supposed to stick together. This is destiny. The three dragons should be together in this war." "A load of hogwash." Seto says, entering the elevator as they follow him out. "Kaiba, are you running from such destiny?" The Pharaoh poses. "You know, if I had a dime for every time you said the word 'destiny' I'd be richer than I already am." Seto says, as the doors to the elevator close and they disappear. Moments later they can see his personal Blue Eyes jet flying away.


	15. Chapter 15

-- Nervously, Alyssa waited in front of her house, jingling the only few coins she had in her hand. She had ended up not going back. Unfortunately, there had been a small child who had fallen and needed medical care quickly. She did not regret helping the child; he was far too young to die, but she hadn't enough anymore.

Pressing back tears of what would happen if her plan fell through, she tried to replay the argument out in her head. He would ask her for the money, she would give him what she had, and pay him back the rest at the end of the day. She had already missed the lunch trays. Depending on how much she had to give to hold the house until nightfall, she was debating whether or not she'd be able to buy something for her parents to eat. Odds are she wouldn't be able to, and she was kicking herself for that. And all the while the argument that had been going on inside her for weeks played through her head, one side saying she should ask for help or quit, the other arguing that she shouldn't, and to figure things out on her own as she always had.

Seeing the large man sauntering his way down the street, she noticed that her stone from yesterday was tied on a string and slung about his wrist. She swallowed as she saw it, the awful memories of that day coming back to her. _"Now is not the time."_ She told herself, and pushed them away. Standing up, she said a silent prayer "Ra, please, aid me just this once. I need help."

She debated going inside; she wanted to hide momentarily. She was not looking forward to the man's anger. She had told her parents to remain inside; should the worst happen, she did not want them to have to face such humiliation. It was her fault, and she should take the blame alone.

"So good to see you." The man said, smiling. His ugly teeth glared an ugly yellow back at her, some missing, others spaced at different ratios. "I'm sure" she said pleasantly, but inwardly quivering. It was more than just her worry about losing her home. She'd seen that face from others before and she knew what it meant. Evil. Pleasure in suffering. And what irritated her most, lust as their eyes as they traveled up and down her body. Sometimes she wondered if the men she dealt with even knew she had a head. Others had been too conscious of her face, trying to get into her mouth. She shuddered inwardly at the thoughts.

'You have my payments then, I presume?" he said. She hesitated as he moved closer. She did not know what had happened since yesterday; it had been a while since he'd acted like this. Then again, It had been a while since she'd seen him. She wondered if he was drunk. "I am afraid that my personal issues have caused yet a later payment." She tells him. "I have a proposition for you, however." She begins, trying to remember the words she had planned out a head of time. "Oh?" he said. "And what is that?" His ugly smile grew wider and his heavy breath stunk. "I have work to return to tonight, where I will also get paid. I can come by later with the rest of the payment, and you can take what I have now with you." She says.

"And what kind of payment would this be?" he asked her, reaching out a hand to touch her arm, two of his fingers under the arm's short sleeve of her dress. "Uh...I mean…" she stammers as she look at his hand resembling a treacherous spider. "Money." She says, pulling away and walking around him as he tries to slide his hand in more. "The rest of the money." She says.

He was drunk and now she could most certainly tell. His eyes were dilated, and she could see the bottle in his hand of the intoxicating drink. He took another swig from his bottle, blinked his eyes, and burped. "You know, there are other ways of payment." He adds. "What does that mean?" she asked innocently, dodging his him as he tried to reach out for her and stumbled. "I could clean your house, if that is what you want." She says nervously. She knew very well what he wanted. It wasn't hard to tell. She couldn't risk his getting offended though; it would most certainly hurt what she was trying to accomplish.

"Or…" he says, letting the question hang their, his eyes lingering on her body. Deciding she couldn't get around it, she said "I'm not doing anything of that sort with you." Her voice was harder than she meant it to be. "Then I'm afraid I can't accept your payment." He said plainly. "But you will have it in full by tonight!" she protests. "I'll even deliver it there myself." She said.

"That does not matter to me." He says. "If you would not like to be in my company, then I'm sure I can find someone else who will." "But-"

"I will be returning shortly to see that you are out." He says, turning away and taking another swig from his jug. As he walks away, she runs up behind him, catching onto his cape. "Please" she says, down on her knees. "I need just a few more hours time. I'll have it for you long before the moon is at it's zenith!" she tries.

"No!" the man says. "Release me, or I'll have you arrested!" She does and gets up, walking in front of him and barring his way. She clasps her hands together and begs him "Please, I need this house. My parents…they are too old to-Oh!" she says as he grabs her hands and pulls her in, placing his mouth atop her lips, hard. She can feel his tongue sliding over them as he tries to gain entry. Without even thinking about it, she elbows him in his gut and kicks him in the shin. He releases her, doubling over.

Horrified, she says "I'm sorry!" "Witch!" he yells at her. "Get out of my house!" "Please!" she yells, entreating him. "I need this house." She holds out the coins she has. "I have half, I can get the other half for you by tonight. Please, I promise to you, I swear it in the name of Ra!" she shouts. "Blasphemy!" he yells. "Don't you say the name of the blessed gods, you filthy wench!" he yells at her. He does, however, grab her money. "Now get out of my house! We had an agreement and it has been broken. I'm taking this as payment for the portion of the day you have spent inside it."

"But-" "OUT!" he booms. Looking around, she acknowledges the loss. She sighs. "Can I wait until the sun has gone down a bit, so that my parents travel might be easier?" she asks, defeated. "OUT!" he roars again and stumbles off, shaking a finger at her. "If I come back ad there is a hint that you were ever there, I will call the guards to arrest you!"

Blinking back tears of sorrow, hurt, anger, and defeat she walks back to what she used to be able to call home. Her parents stood in the doorway. She would not meet their eyes as she apologized and began explaining the situation. "We know." Her mother said, sadly. "It's okay." Her father said. "After what he did, I'm surprised you didn't do worse." She knew this was her father's way of trying to cheer her, and as he placed a calloused hand from his days of work on her shoulder she smiled. Sadly, but still smiled.

They went around then, and were ready to leave rather soon. Carrying the water jugs, one for each hand, and a small pack upon her back of all their belongings, they stepped outside.

The scout that had been told to follow her had witness the earlier events. Deciding that it would be unwise to wait until the evening, he approached an elderly woman across the way. "In the name of the Pharaoh, don't let them leave." he instructed her. "What?" she asked him confused. He looked across, through the open doorframe on the other side and saw them packing the last of their belongings. Slinging the bag across her back, he could see her speaking to her parents, checking to make sure they had everything.

"In the name of the Pharaoh, he whose prayers cause the sun to rise, do _not_ let them leave! I will return shortly and tell you what happens then, but until then, make sure they stay _here" _he says, pointing towards the ground in emphasis.

"I'll try my best." The woman says, nodding, as her runs off at great speed through the crowd.

"Your sandals are all worn out." The old woman could hear the girl tell her mother. "Take mine." She said, slipping hers off. She noticed that the child's own were badly worn out as well, though slightly better than those of her mother. "We can go to the river." The girl was saying as her mother slipped on the new sandals. "I know there is a place with some shade. You can rest there until I figure out what I'm going to do."

Clearing her throat, the woman called out to her. "Will you come in and do me a favor, child?" Looking around momentarily, she noticed the woman. "Me?" Alyssa asked her. "Yes, you." The woman repeated. "If you would, I just have something up here. I can no longer reach it with my age." She says. "Oh…of course." She says. "I'll be right back." She tells her parents and enters the abode of the elderly lady. "It's up there." She points to a shelf and the young woman goes forth to retrieve the box for her. "Have you anywhere you would like me to set it?" she asks politely. "Just any where is fine." The woman says. "Thank you."

"Oh, no problem." Alyssa says, placing it on the table in the room." "And…if I could trouble you for another thing?" The woman asks, trying to stall for time. "Go ahead." Alyssa says. _"It's not like I'm going anywhere important."_ She thinks to herself. "I heard what you id for that boy, and I was curious if you knew anything else of herbs and such?"

Looking around, she hesitated before answering. "I do know of herbs, yes, and I do know cures for many ailments. I am not an actual doctor, however." She explains to the woman. "But you know what you are doing, correct?" the woman asks her. "Yes, I think it's safe to say I do." She says. "Why, are you not feeling well?" she asks the woman. "Well, it's more my back you see…" she begins.

The scout had been running a few minutes and was short of breath but was rewarded with the sight of the palace in front. He was approaching it fast, making his way skillfully throughout the crowds. He did not slow down as her reached the stair and took them two at a time on his way up. He continued running as he searched the palace for the Pharaoh, finally finding him in one of the rooms with a few other people dressed like nobles.

"My Lord," he said, getting down on one knee and bowing his head, still slightly out of breath from his sudden exercise. "She needs help."


	16. Chapter 16

Hello! Thank you for those of you who have given me a review. I appriciate them greatly and you've no idea how happy I am to see when I get some. I've written a lot over this past week actually, and I'll try not to upload too much to the fic at one time as I know I have a tendancy to do. '''

You will see there is a .:. in front of the beginnings of the time changes. I used to have other symbols there, but doesn't like them so I figured I would switch to something else to make it a little easier on all of you. Also, it has been weeks since I have seen these episodes. I do not remember all of the monsters and turns in the duels anymore, so I hope that you will forgive me for certain details. You can either hint leave a review and tell me what to correct, or email me at thank you for reading. Onto the story!

.:.Speeding, literally, _speeding_, down the interstate highway in Duke's old convertible, the group hangs on for dear life as he somehow manages to make them go faster.

"You know, I don't think it is safe to do this." Tea says, looking a little green. "Ah, well. We're almost there." He tells them. They pull off the road traveling through the endless empty space and come up to a trailer. "Here we are." Duke says, screeching to a halt as he pulls into the sand, spraying it everywhere.

"Thank goodness." Tea comments as she hurriedly steps over people to get out. Tristan laughs but all of a sudden covers his mouth with his hand, places his other on his stomach, and likewise bolts from the vehicle. Stepping out of the car, Alyssa puts a hand on her temple and supports herself against it's frame. "Are you alright?" Yugi asks. "I'm fine." She says, smiling at him. "I just have a slight headache from all the noise."

"If you're sure then." Yugi says. "Let's go!" and they race towards the house. They laugh as they rush, each trying to get there before the other. "Wait just a minute!" Yugi says, trying to deepen his voice as much as he could. He pauses. "My Lord?" she asks, questioningly, turning around to check due to the irregular voice. Yugi runs past her. "Whee! I did it!" he says happily. Shaking her head, she jogs up to the front of the house.

"You guys must be hungry." Duke says as he sees Joey eyeing some snacks of his. "Well, if you're offering." He says, going over and opening the package. Duke just stares at him s he chows down on the junk food, practically biting off Tristan's hand as he tries to grab some himself. "Hey man, you're stealin' all the grub!" he yells as he attempts to pull the bag away from Joey. "Come on! Get your own food!" Joey says, turning away. "That wasn't yours in the first place!" Tristan yells, tackling him to the floor by his legs as they roll around, each trying to get the upper hand on the bag.

The rest of the group watches, Tea with sickened eyes as one slobbery hand attempts to enter the bag for a quick grab and the other bites the arm.

"Oh gosh." She says. "All yours. I can't believe that anyone would want that stuff after you've all been into it." She says, turning away and sitting down on the couch. Yami laughs. "I can make you something, Tea" Duke says. "I don't have much, but I sure know how to make a mean omelet." Tea laughs. "Okay than, Master Chef. Care if I watch?" "No Problem." He says. "If you would let me see what you have in stock, I might be able to come up with something myself." Alyssa offers. "Wha?" Joey says, as the pair pauses their grapple for the bag of Doritos. "You know, if Alyssa's gonna be cooking…" he begins. "Here ya go, Tristan!" he shouts, shoving the bag at his comrade. "Huh?" Tristan says, looking at the bag in his hands. "I wouldn't want to fill up to soon." Joey says, standing up and stretching. "Hey, you know, I'm a real good taste tester." He begins, leaning against the wall next to Alyssa. "I'm sure I'd be able to help you out if-" "No way! I'm gonna test the stuff!" Tristan says, hopping in front of Joey. "He learned all his stuff from me you see, and-" "Butt out, buddy!" Joey says, trying to step in front again. "Hey, you've got the chips!" Tristan says. "I don't want the chips!" Joey says, shoving them onto Tristan. "Well, too bad!" Tristan says, shoving them back. "Why I oughta!" Joey begins, "I dare you!" Tristan says. "That's it! You're askin' for it!" Joey yells, shaking a fist. "Try me!" "Bring it on!" "Huraaaaahhhh!" Both lunge for and tackle the other, rolling around in their fight on the floor once again. The rest of the group merely shakes their heads and turns their back to the troublesome twosome. "So how about it?" Alyssa asks. "Well, how could I say no after such a display? You must be one good cook." "I try" she merely says, and they walk off into the kitchen.

Half an hour later they sit down to a large meal of omelets, some freshly made orange juice, and some kind of stew concoction that tasted fabulous. "See? What'd I tell ya?" Joey says, wiping his mouth with a napkin and leaning back on his chair. "Tell us what?" Tea asks, clearing the table. "Huh? Oh…I forgot." Joey says. "How 'bout you, Yug? Think it was good?" "Oh, it was awesome!" Yugi says, full to bursting. "I should probably call grandpa though. I told him I would when we reached Duelist Kingdom, but that hasn't happened now, has it?" he says. "There's a phone in the living room, Yugi." Duke says, nodding his head towards the adjacent room in the trailer as he picked up another dish. "Thanks." Yugi said. "I'll call him right now."

Yugi's grandpa picked up on the third ring. "Hello, Mutou residence." It said on the other side. "Grandpa!" Yugi said happily. "Yugi, my boy. How've you been?" "I'm fine grandpa." Yugi said; the normal pleasantries. He went on to explain what had happened so far in the day. "But you're all okay right now, right? Yugi's grandfather asked. "Yeah. We're with Duke here. We'll be spending the night with him. I don't quite know what we'll be doing tomorrow." He says. "Oh, well I do!" Mr. Mutou said on the other side of the phone. "Oi?" Yugi said, puzzled. "I received a call from my friend, you remember him. Professor Hopkins." "Hmm…oh! The man that has been studying the hieroglyphics that look like me?" he says, excited. "Yes! He says he's discovered a little bit more about them. I told him that you would be in the area and he asked if you would drop by. I told him of course you would!" "That'll be great, grandpa." He said, looking across the room at the Pharaoh who was looking right back at him. "I can't wait to see him. And Rebecca will be there too, won't she?" Yugi asked. "Of course she will!" Mr. Mutou said. Then, laughing, he added. "You don't think she'd miss a chance to see you, do you?" Turning slightly red, Yugi said "No, not really…" "Well, I'd best leave you to your sleep." Mr. Mutou said. "Okay then grandpa. Good night." "Goodnight, Yugi." Mr. Mutou said on the other side of the phone, and they both hung up.

"So what's up, Yug?" Joey asks. "Grandpa's friend Mr. Hopkins asked that we drop by. He says he's found out a little bit more about those strange hieroglyphics." "Oh. Neat!" Joey says. "When are we going by?" "Whenever, I guess." Yugi says. "Grandpa didn't say what time. I guess we'll just get there when we get there." Yugi said, a small smile on his face. Joey stretched and yawned. "I guess that we should get some shut eye then." He announced to the group. "Dibs on the couch!" he said. "Ha ha, that's so funny." Tristan said. "I get the couch." "It's so cute how you boys think that you'll be sleeping on the couch when you'll actually be on the floor. I'm getting the couch." Tea says. "And what makes you think that?" Joey asks. "I called it the moment we got here." She said. " I don't remember hearing that." Tristan says thinking. "Well I did, so it's mine." She insists. "Night everyone!" Duke says, closing the door to the bedroom before there is a chance to dispute about it.

"And where will you be sleeping?" Alyssa hears a deep voice in her ear. She startles at the sound and her stomach gives a little twist. "Wherever, I guess, my Lord." She says to the Pharaoh. "I don't mind. Why, where are you?" she asks him. "Likewise." The Pharaoh says. "I-we- don't mind." He says, acknowledging Yugi. "Then I guess we'll just have to wait and see." She says, lightly.

Half an hour later the group is asleep, Tea spanning half the couch, Joey on the other. Tristan took an overstuffed arm chair. Yugi was in the corner against a pillow, having been content to remain as a spirit for the evening. Yami was seated on another chair against the corner.

He sighed as he looked down, where Alyssa lay, curled up at his side on the floor like a cat. She had at some point slipped over near him without his noticing. He had attempted to lift her into the chair and taken the floor himself, but she had stirred, and he had not wanted to wake her. Instead, he merely cast a blanket over her sleeping form. He sighed again. "Why must she act so?" he asked himself as his eyes roamed the room, lighting on each of the sleeping people. He had another headache, but he couldn't place from what. He looked down at the former servant girl to his palace as she scrunched her nose up and curled up tighter, her knees drawn up to her chest, her head resting on one of her hands. He had another surge of this strange pain and blinked his eyes, looking away, trying to get rid of the feeling. He leaned back and rubbed his eyes. Soon after he fell asleep, but not before a question echoed through his mind.

"What's going on?"

.:.Sitting down at the table of the old lady, Alyssa sipped a small glass of tea. "How long have you been across the way?" The woman asked her, her eyes flickering to the door, waiting for a sign of the man. She had asked the child to move things around, had received a wonderful massage to help with her aching back, and had been told a number of roots and herbs that would help with the back pains. And all this at no charge. "My entire life." The girl said laughing. "I've seen you before." She told the elderly woman. "I said hello, but you must not have heard me."

No, she had heard her. Merely ignored her, like everyone else. She heard the girl sigh. "I must thank you again for allowing my parents and I to stay here while the sun goes down a bit. I know a place where they might sit in the shade during the days, but I did not want them to have to journey through such heat. It would be hard for them." She explained. "Oh, it's nothing…nothing…" the woman continued on. "No, to me it is. Thank you." She said.

Looking out the window at the sun, she stood up. "The sun seems to be down enough now. We won't trouble you any longer. I'll wash these." She said, taking the dishes in hand." And then we'll be on our way. "Oh nonsense," the woman said, standing and taking the dishes. "Please, stay; it is my pleasure to have you. And don't worry about the dishes, dear. I'll get to them." She said. "But-" "Stay." The woman said. "Please." She asked.

"Alright then, if you're sure." The girl said. "But still, allow me to help you with the dishes. You've done so much for us." "Nonsense!" The woman repeated, stalling. They chatted as she washed the dishes, but then she took up her argument again.

"We really must be on our way." She said. "I thank you for allowing us to stay while the sun was at its peak, but I have much work to do before nightfall and I have to get them settled." She said as they made ready to leave. "But…but…but..." the woman sputtered. "I'll remember this favor. Let me know if I can one day do something for you." She repeated, picking up her bag and other items.

The woman rushed out; In the name of the pharaoh she had promised to keep them there, and so she would do. "I…uh…" the woman began trying to come up with something. Patiently, Alyssa stood their waiting for what she was trying to say. All she did was sputter though. "You're a kind friend to help me so, but it is time for me to leave. May we see each other again some day." She said, patting the woman on the shoulder as she watched them leave open mouthed.

"Is the sand hot on your feet?" her mother asked her. "No, mother." She lied, as she held her hand. "I am fine." "Are you sure?" her mother asked her again, concerned. "I do not need two pairs of sandals." She said. "No, I'm fine." Alyssa repeated. "Come now, we have to hurry." She said. Then, suddenly, they heard a voice boom.

"STOP!"

The entire street paused as the runner returned, four other men at his side. He conferred with the old woman who sighed, smiled as she received a present of gold, and returned into her home. The runner approached Alyssa, who stood up, believing he had been sent by her former landlord.

"We've done nothing. He asked us to leave and we have." She began, angrily. "He's no reason to call you out on us, so go and tell that horrible man that we've done as he's asked. He's been paid his due and there is no reason for an arrest on either my parents or myself!"

"I don't think that the Pharaoh would care to hear such things." He said. "What?" she gasped. "You can't be serious- he wouldn't take something so trivial to the-"

"We will carry your items for you." One man said, coming up and taking hold of her bag. She whirled around as they removed a slight pack from her mother. "No, I…this is ours! He can't-"

"We've been ordered to escort you to the palace, my Lady." The runner began. "Excuse me?" she asked, entirely confused. "Why, you want to stay at the palace, don't you?" he asked, taking her arm and walking her down the street. "Of course I would." She began. "But I have no money….how am I to pay for it? I can't keep a small house, how am I going to afford a room at the palace?" she stuttered, still trying to figure things out. "Why, you're staying free of charge, at the Pharaoh's invitation." She paused, shocked, before closing her eyes and collapsing onto the surprised man.

"Oh thank Ra."

.:. "Grandpa said they should be around here somewhere." Yugi says as they are zooming through the desert in Duke's car. "Has he ever gotten a speeding ticket?" Tea asks as she grips onto the door handle. "Nope, not once!" Duke calls back to her as he takes it up another notch, having overheard her comment. "So long as I don't do anything stupid, I don't see why I should either." He laughs.

Yugi looks at the scenery as they tear down the street, the Pharaoh next to him. "Something wrong, Pharaoh?" he asks him. "Hmm?" Oh nothing." He tells Yugi. "I just don't know what to think about what is going on right now." "Me either." Yugi says. The Pharaoh turns his head. "_If only I knew more about my own past I might be able to answer more of the questions I keep having about the present_."

"Cheer up, Pharaoh!" Yugi says. "Hmm?" The pharaoh asks, turning. "I'm fine, Yugi." He says. "I can hear your thoughts!" Yugi reminds him. "Just like you can hear mine. You can't hide anything from me, Yami." He tells him. Smiling, Yami says "I forgot." "Don't worry." Yugi says again. "Well get your memories back. I'll always be right here to help you. Don't forget, we're partners!" he says with a little laugh. "Yes…we are." Yami says, smiling at him. "Thank you, Yugi." He says.

"We're he-" Duke announces, but ends in mid-sentence. Before them are the remnants of a home, torn and blown to pieces. On a larger piece of the rubble rests a girl, the same height as Yugi, crying.

"Rebecca!" Yugi shouts, hopping out of the vehicle and running over to her. "Yugi!" she shouts and, sobbing, runs over to him, falling into his arms. "What happened?" he asks, awkwardly. "Oh Yugi, it was horrible!" she sobs into his chest. Yugi looks up and sees an irritated Tea, but says nothing.

"I was riding on Copernicus, and, and, I came back and look what they've done!" She blubbers. "Who did this?" Yugi asks, astonished. "I don't kn-know!" She cries. "But Yugi, they took my grandpa!" "What?" Yugi asks. "Yugi, they took him! He's gone! Ohoh…"she bawls.

"It's okay, Rebecca." Yugi tries to say. "We'll get him back, I promise." She sniffles. " 'Kay." She says, still crying, but not so hard anymore. "Yugi, I almost forgot. I found this; do you know what it means? "

She handed him what looked like a duel monsters card. It read: I'll be waiting for you at Heaven's Circle, Pharaoh, at sunrise. Don't be late, or you'll never see the Professor again.

Yugi turned toward the Pharaoh who had heard. There was an expression on his face that Yugi could not read, other than there was a lot of determination in it. "Don't worry Rebecca. Why don't you come back with us? Maybe Duke will let you stay there until we've got all this sorted out." He says. "'Course I will." Duke says, staring at Rebecca, still leaning on Yugi's shoulder. "Perhaps we should be getting back since no one seems to be here." He says.

"What about Copernicus? And we have another horse too…" The now sniffling Rebecca asks. "We'll take care of him and the other one too. Joey says. "Just let us know what stuff we need to bring, and we'll take them with us." "Okay." She says, and Tea and Alyssa escort the saddened girl back to the car after she gives directions on what they need to do. "What do you think of this?" Yugi asks Yami as they search the rubble of the house for any possible clues. "All I can think is that man from the rooftop is rather anxious to meet with me." He says to Yugi. "And what will you do?" Yugi asks him. "He's going to get his wish." Yami says. "But I don't think that it's going to turn out the way he wants." Yami says, smiling down at Yugi. "Right." Yugi says, and they head back to the car.

They enter Duke's trailer home again about half an hour later, after a ride that could have made anyone forget their problems and only worry about staying in their seat. Rebecca's hair is a mess as the frazzled girl hops out of the car, Tea right behind her. The rest hop out of the car, still not used to Duke's mad driving, but faring better than the previous two.

Rebecca sighs as Tea passes cups of coffee around to those who wanted some, which includes Duke, Tea, Joey, Tristan, and Rebecca. The two Egyptians and Yugi are the only ones that decide to go without. "Why do you think they took your grandpa, Rebecca?" Tea asks gently. "I don't know." The teen says, still in shock, merely looking with unblinking eyes at the coffee in her hand. "All I can think is that they wanted him for the research he was doing. He'd just figured out more of the hieroglyphics from the cave walls. "We told your grandpa about them, Yugi. He said you guys might drop in on us." She says. " But as for everything else, I'm not sure." She says. "Just like that note. I odn't know what any of this means." She says, beginning to cry again. "Hey, no worries." Joey says. "We said we'd get him back, an' we're gonna get him back!" he says. "Aint nothin' that's gonna get in our way. So you just relax, okay Rebecca? Leave it to us."

She smiled and wiped way her tears. "Thanks, you guys. We'll have him back in no time, won't we?" She says. "Yeah!" Tristan says. "That's the spirit!" Tea says.

After another round of stew and omelets that night, the group settled in to sleep. Joey had been kind enough to let Rebecca have his place on the couch, and then he had been kind enough to take Tristan's chair. Tristan, however, would not allow this to go on without a fight, so the pair sat in the chair together, each trying to squish the other out of the comfortable piece of furniture. Eventually they had fallen asleep in the process, so not both rested together. Duke was, again, in the bedroom, and Yami had taken the other chair.

Neither he nor Yugi could sleep that night, waiting for the others to fall deep enough into their dreams that they could leave without waking them. Alyssa was once more curled up at his side, although tonight she appeared restless in her dreams. More than once he had paused to console her as she slept, quieting her until she lay peacefully, only to repeat the gesture ten minutes later as she once more began tossing and turning in her sleep. The ordeal had been going on for quite a while with seemingly no trigger. Finally she lay still again.

"What's the matter?" Yugi asked him as he bent down, adjusting the blanket around her. "I don't know." Yami says brushing a lock of her hair behind her ear as her face once more contorted with her nightmares. "She just isn't sleeping well for some reason." "Should we wake her?" Yugi asks him. "Nah…let her sleep." The Pharaoh says. "Besides, we need to leave." He says. "Right." Yugi says, nodding his head.

They exit the room, taking care to quietly close the door to the outside. In back of the trailer Copernicus stands still while Yami hoists the saddle onto his back, tightening the girth. He climbs on taking the reins in his hand as he gives the horse two quick nudges in the side, and they ride off, the dawn approaching fast…

.:. "This is the room you will be staying in." The runner announces as he opens a door to a large suite. Her parents gasp as they see the hugeness of the rooms. Alyssa herself is in shock. "Are you sure you have the right room?" she asks them, dazed. "I'm sure." The runner says. He specifically said this one. He said he thought you would enjoy it, since it has a view of the courtyard."

They traversed to the back where there was a balcony with a staircase leading into the courtyard. There was a lake, and a vast garden that appeared like a forest to their eyes. There were places with fountains, benches made of gold and silver, other precious stones embedded in them as well.

To each side led hallways to more rooms, with bedrooms, the beds in them huge. "I was going to say you could have the bed and I would sleep somewhere else, but I don't think I'll have to now." Alyssa remarked to her parents as they continued the tour of the rooms.

Finally they entered the sitting room at the entrance again, and the runner spoke with them. "All you need to do is ask and an attendant will take care of whatever it is you need." He tells them. "Attendants?" Alyssa asks, sitting down. "This seems far too much…" She says. "Are you sure he wasn't expecting someone else and things were somehow mixed up?"

"No." The man said, smiling at her. "The Pharaoh merely likes to see that his friends are well taken care of. I shall leave you then, if you've no other questions?" She merely nodded, not really awake, and he left.

She paused a moment before she thought "Oh no! I have to get down there if I've any hope of finishing before nightfall." and left.

Catching someone carrying what looked to her like an uneaten tray, she went up to them. "Excuse me," she said. "But I thought that the time for those had passed?" "Aye, it has." the person said. "But someone wasn't pleased with their selection and refused to touch it. The foolish person did not even call to have it removed earlier and was mad when the person who had delivered it hadn't come to collect it sooner. Currently they are brining them something else."

"If it is alright with you, might I take the items on it, and you could return the empty tray to the cook with my compliments?" They paused while thinking this over. "Yes, I don't see why that wouldn't be a problem." "Thank you." Alyssa said, as she took the items off the tray and placed them in her cloth. "_Looks like we'll be eating dinner tonight after all_." She thought happily. She thanked the person once more and continued on her way until she came to the room she had left earlier. Relieved, she saw that her pail and brush were still there. She went to work immediately to make up for the lost time. She wanted to finish early so that she might think of something worth the graces she'd been shown today.

And indeed she did, for later that day she stepped into the Pharaoh's chambers to see him smiling atop his bed. Of course, she lowered her eyes and merely said her usual introduction. "Good evening, my Lord. And how are you this evening." "I'm doing well." he said. "And you?" he asked her in return. "I believe you know exactly how I am doing." She said, bowing her head. "I can not thank you enough." "So you like the room then?" he questioned her. "Not room, sir, rooms." She told him. "It's wonderful. More than I deserve."

"Not more then you deserve." The Pharaoh said. "Just more than you would ask for." She laughed slightly at this. "Perhaps you're right." She told him. "Shall I continue?" she asks him, her shell in her hands, awaiting the word from him to begin. "But of course." He says.

She raises it to her lips and begins to play once more, a dancing tune of joy and happiness, tinged slightly with sadness but always looking towards a hopeful tomorrow. Indeed the very walls seem to enjoy the bouncing refrain. When she finishes she can tell that the feeling in her heart had come into the song and given it a livelihood that many experts of their own fields would never be able to imitate.

"Your songs are always alive." The Pharaoh says, as if reading her thoughts. "I don't know how you do it." He tells her plainly. "By merely putting your heart into the music, my Lord." She says. "As I'm sure you have put your heart into other things. Pleasure in the work makes perfection in the product."

"Wise words, and true they are." He tells her, nodding his head. "Then may I have the honor of hearing such music again?" he asks her. "As is always, the honor is al mine, my Pharaoh." She tells him and begins playing again.

She left a while later, having played many a song to dancing ears and vivid imaginations. She found her room which was surprisingly close to that of the Pharaoh. She didn't realize this until the runner that had been following her and shown her to the suite earlier was sent to help her find it. "I hear tales that you still become lost every now and again in this part of the palace." The Pharaoh had said as an explanation.

She came in and set her bag down on one of the long tables. She had removed her sandals at the entrance; she did not want to harm the fine carpets that lay on the floor. The rooms were chock full of precious furniture and rugs, yet there always seemed to be so much space. The high ceiling made her feel small, but she marveled at it none the less.

She withdrew the pouch that had her lucky find in it. "Mom, Dad." She called. "I have something for you to eat." She said as she unfolded it.

"Oh, we're fine dear." Her mother said. "You have it." "No, I'm fine. Really." She said, though her stomach was telling her otherwise. She still hadn't eaten and the smell of what lay before her was very enticing. "We've already eaten tonight." Her mother explained. "That's for you." She said.

"What? But, how could you have…" she asked. "The Pharaoh had them send up trays for us for lunch. They were quite nice, really." She said. "And they sent us something for dinner as well. We are fine, really." Her father said. "Oh thank the heavens." She said, falling into one of the chairs at the table.

She listened to her parents as she held herself back from simply devouring the food. She paid attention as they told her about the courtyard and a few other rooms and statues that they had neglected to see during their tour. Finally she finished the entire tray. "I've never done that before." She thought as she let out a little burp. "Pardon me." She said to her parents as they chuckled.

They turned out the lamps as they went off to bed. She saw her parents to their room, kissed them goodnight, and went off in search of the one she was supposed to stay in.

Finally she found it after making a round or two of the entire suite. "It's so big I can't see how I could have missed it." She said. lamps had been lit in here as well, so she went and turned most of them out. She looked at the bed in the middle of the room.

"I've never slept in a bed before…" she thought to herself as se went over to it. She remembered hopping onto her parents once when she was little and had a nightmare. She remained there for the night, so she surmised that perhaps she could say she'd been in a bed before. Although, compared to this that thing in her former house might have been her reed mat on the floor.

She climbed in and had never felt anything so soft before. She thought that she might just sink straight through to the bottom if she wasn't careful it was so plush. Suddenly she was five again, and playing with one or two of the miscellaneous feathers that had escaped the clutches of her pillow. She blew them into the air and laughed as they gently floated back onto the downy blankets. Yawning and with sweet dreams in mind, she laid her head down onto the pillow.

"Things are finally looking up." She thought to herself with a smile, and she promptly fell asleep.


	17. Chapter 17

.:. Alyssa stirred as she felt the Pharaoh slip past, her dreams uneasy until she finally awoke a few minutes later. Seeing the room of sleeping people, she laid back down. She sat up then, realizing that the Pharaoh wasn't there.

"I'll be waiting for you at Heaven's Circle, Pharaoh, at sunrise. Don't be late, or you'll never see the Professor again." She thought, remembering what it had said on the card Rebecca found "I'll bet he's going there." She whispered to herself. "But, he can't, or else…"

"_Or else what?"_ her mind screamed at her. There was something, something…she couldn't place what it was. Something was going to happen at Heaven's Circle…something bad…and it involved the Pharaoh. She had to stop it. She had to remember what it was.

She silently got up and made her way to the door. She heard one of the horses whinny a little as it began galloping off. Through the window in the door she could see the Pharaoh riding away. She looked toward the horizon, at the moon. _"No wonder, he's only got a little bit of time before the sun rises."_

"_Which means I've only got a little bit of time too."_ She thought. She went out back; yes, there was the other horse. "Oh man, I am glad we have you." She thought. She went over, looking for a saddle, but couldn't find one. "Darn it!" she whispered. "Well, I'll just have to ride without." She thought.

She climbed on the horse and spoke in it's ear. "Don't let me down. I need you to catch up with that other one." She told it. She was not an experienced rider, at least, she didn't think so, but even an idiot knows you kick a horse in the side to make it go. She gave it a swift kick in the ribs and the horse took off. She was surprised, but riding the horse seemed easy to her. She laughed "Maybe I was a chariot racer in Egypt. Or whatever they were called." She says as she gives it another nudge and the horse speeds up.

She could see the Pharaoh's horse up ahead, but it was still a long way off. She guessed he couldn't hear her on her own horse, or else he might have sped up, slowed down, but done something. _"He's probably pacing it, so that it doesn't tire out."_ She thought. _"But still…that's gonna be hard for a horse."_

There Pharaoh rode onward. He'd asked Duke where Heaven's Circle was earlier, so he knew which way to go. Yugi was sitting on the back of the horse, hanging on to him. "HoRsEs ArE kInD oF bUmPy!" he remarked to the pharaoh as he bobbled up and down behind him. "HoW cOmE yOu RiDe So SmOoThLy?" he asked him. "I've done it before." He remarked to Yugi. "In Egypt." He was startled as he heard himself speak. "WaS iT fUn?" Yugi asked him. "I don't know." Yami says, his sliver of memory disappearing.

"How much longer until we are there?" Yugi asked, climbing onto the Pharaoh's shoulders to escape the bouncing of the horse. "Not much longer." Yami said. "Maybe ten minutes, I think." He says. "Good, 'cause it's rather tiring sitting up here." Yugi joked. "Try being the one carrying you." Yami replied in jest, as the pair laughed.

They came to the top of a cliff and could see the circle plateau underneath. Doing a few fancy pulls of the reins, Yami maneuvered the horse down the cliff and to the safety of the ledge. He then jumped onto the lower ledge, walking across the small bridge suspended by ropes over the pit surrounding the circle.

"Hello, Pharaoh." The Blonde haired one said to him. "I'd address you by your name, but I'm afraid we've never introduced ourselves." The Pharaoh replies. "Fair enough." The man says. "I'm Raphael." "Pleasure." Yami says dryly. "I'd ask you your name, but I don't think you know it either."

"That isn't the subject of this little visit." The Pharaoh says. "A little tense, Pharaoh?" Raphael taunts him. "Enough." Yami says. "Where is the Professor?" he asks. "I'm here as you asked, now tell me that." "Oh, he's fine." Raphael says with a grin. "We let him free an hour ago. I do believe he's walking back to where his daughter is. We did him the courtesy of pointing him in the right direction. He should get there a little after dawn if he's lucky."

"Thank you." The Pharaoh says, turning to leave. "I see you brought your duel disk with you." Raphael remarks to him. "I didn't assume we'd only be chatting, since you seem so eager to take my soul. But I'm afraid that I've no reason to stay if you've already set the Professor free. I should be looking for him instead."

"Not so fast, Pharaoh" the blonde man says, as he pulls a few knives out from his coat and tosses them so that they cut the bridge. Yami watches the bridge begin to fall towards their side angrily, but pauses as he hears something.

"Pharaoh!" Alyssa shouts, having reached the peak five minutes after him. She does similar measures with her own horse, which trots over to Copernicus. "Stay back! The bridge is cut." He tells her. "Be careful not to fall." He sees her take a few steps backwards. "What are you doing?" he says as he recognizes the look in long jumpers and pole vaulters, a look that measures the distance they need to travel. "You aren't going to…No!" he shouts as she takes a running start and jumps the distance, grabbing onto the bottom of the broken ladder, she begins pulling herself up towards the top.

"You're positively crazy!" The Pharaoh tells her as he reaches an arm down to help her up as she nears the top. Taking it, she pulls herself up and onto the ledge. Standing she dusts herself off. "You don't think I'd let you do something like this on your own, do you?" she asks him. "After all, we've never had that little chat about Egypt" she says, still slightly out of breath.

Shaking his head the Pharaoh just smiles. "You are one of a kind." He tells her. "I could say the same for you." She mirrors him. "I'm so glad we're enjoying this happy little reunion, but I'll remind you what we are here for." Raphael states, extending the arm of his duel disk. "I will have your soul, Pharaoh, if it's the last thing I do."

The Pharaoh activates his own duel disk as she takes a step back. "Dueling will be the last thing you do, if you play what I'm expecting you to." he says. "I'm not going to lose this, Pharaoh." Raphael tells him. "And neither am I." The Pharaoh says evenly, as their Life Point counters read four thousand.

"Let's Duel!"

Both pulled out their hands and began, each turn strengthening defense, attacking, placing cards face down, revealing them. "And now I will play this card, which wallows me to bring my guardian back from the graveyard, so long as I give up five hundred life points." Raphael says and braces against the pain that comes with the loss of life points. "I see you respect your cards very much." The Pharaoh tells him. "Why then do you insist on fighting on the wrong side, the side of darkness? Why not aid us in this war?" he asks him. "Do you see these cards, Pharaoh?" he asks, removing them from his disk and holding them up so that he can see. They are badly worn and it is evident that they are many years old and many times played. "When I was younger, I had a family. They gave to me some of these cards as presents for my birthday. I had the good life then, you see." Raphael begins as he reverts into his past, telling his story to our listeners. "We were on a cruise then, my parents and younger siblings were with me. But then a tidal wave came up, and I tried to hold on to them. I couldn't however. They were lost in the waters. Hours later I awoke to find myself on an island in the middle of the ocean, and all I had with me were my cards."

"They watched over me." He continues on. "And I looked out for them. They became my family. And I never turn my back on my family." He says. "Finally, after being alone, isolated for years a ship came. I hailed it and it came ashore. They brought me back and I was disgusted by what I saw.

"People with no hearts, people who didn't care. Lie, cheat, and steal was all they did. I looked upon what was supposed to be better and wished that I could go back to that island, away from all this pettiness. That's when I met Master Dartz. He explained to me what was going on, took me in as his own. Together we prepared for this war, this war to end all unhappiness. The Orycalcos shows the true nature of a person, and all those with evil and darkness in their hearts will perish."

"You tell me that I'm on the side of darkness? Well I beg to differ Pharaoh. I've heard about you and the evil deeds of your past. You used your magic to control people weaker than you."

The Pharaoh gasped. "That's a lie and I know it. I may not know much about my past, but I do know that I saved the world." "You can think that if you want, but the Orycalcos here might tell us something different. The only reason why you are here is to offer your soul in amends to the Great Beast, so that we might purge this world of darkness."

"You're imagining things." The Pharaoh says. "Oh really now?" he says. "Well then, I think it's time for me to play this." He says, replacing his active cards back onto their places on his duel disk and revealing a face down card. "This card means we both have to give one card to the other player, and since we each only hold one card in our hands, we just switch."

"Very well." Yami says, walking to the middle f the field. "Skull Servant." Raphael remarks as he looks at his card. "I know what you've been thinking. I think you'll be pleased at the card I gave you." He says to the Pharaoh, as they each walk to their respective sides of the field.

As he reaches his own side, the Pharaoh looks down at the card he holds in his hand and gasps. "Why did you give me this?" he says, gritting his teeth angrily as the Seal of Orycalcos glares up at him from his hand.

"You will see your true darkness, Pharaoh." Raphael says as he draws another card. "Whatever happens, we can't play that card." Yugi says to him. "Right." Yami nods at him. "Whatever happens, I promise we won't use it." Raphael attacks from the other side of the field, destroying one of his monsters that had been in defense mode.

"I call upon the five Kuriboh brothers!" Yami says, holding out a hand as the five Kuribohs come onto the playing field in assorted colors. "Wow. Five hairballs." Raphael smirks from the other side. "I'm really scared."

"You should be, because when they combine they create KuriBabylon!" the Pharaoh tells him, sending it out to attack and destroying one of his opponents monsters. "I'll just bring that back by sacrificing more life points." Raphael says as he donates a few hundred more to his Gaurdian's welfare, returning it to the field.

"I see you are very dedicated to your monsters." The Pharaoh tells him once more. "It is unfortunate so skillful a duelist should be lost to such a cause." "And what is that supposed to mean?" Raphael snorts." "You will see." The Pharaoh answers.

"For now I play Pot of Greed, allowing me to draw two new cards." He says as he does so. "Heart of the Cards." He tells himself. "Don't let me down now." He withdraws the two triumphantly. "Well, I believe it is the beginning of your end, Raphael." He tells him. "Oh? And what makes you so sure?" he asks warily, knowing what card lies in the Pharaoh's deck.

"I play The Eye of Timeaus and combine it with my Dark Magician Girl, to create Dark Magician Girl the Dragon Knight!" And as he does so a giant dragon bursts forth from the cards and a small girl dressed in armor sits upon it. "Attack!" The Pharaoh tells them, as they head for one of Raphael's monsters. "Not so fast! Swords of Ice! And this has a special effect on your dragon." He says. Suddenly a sword appears and pierces Timeaus in the same place the sword had been in the statue of him in their dream. The dragon freezes up, Dark Magician girl still on his back, as he once more becomes an ice sculpture.

"Timeaus, no!" Yami shouts. "Yes, Pharaoh. And isn't it funny, that all you need to get him out is five hundred additional attack points?" Raphael jeers. "I will not play that card." The Pharaoh says, gritting his teeth once more. "Suit yourself. But I'm sure you'll find it gets harder every turn." He says.

"Now my guardian, go! Attack his KuriBabylon!"

.:. Alyssa wakes as the sun lifts its face over the horizon. At first she is confused, attempting to stand up so that she could grasp the water jugs and make the morning river run before work. How strange the ground feels beneath her feet though…

She remembers then what had happened. They'd come to stay at the palace since they no longer had a house. There were no jugs that needed to be filled and there wasn't a need for a river run. Sighing happily she flopped back down onto the bed and snuggled into one of the pillows.

She lay there for a while longer before getting up, figuring that she ought to get ready for work. She walked out into the hall to check on her parents. They were still sleeping.

She figured they would know where she went so she began walking towards the front room. On the table se saw three people setting three large trays down onto the table, still steaming hot.

"Good morning." One of them said to her. "Would you prefer it in here, or in your bedroom?" they asked. "Hmm? Oh." She remembered. "No. I mean…here is fine." She stuttered out. "And your elders?" another asked. "Uh…er…they're still sleeping." She told them, sitting down and feeling odd as the person poured out some wonderful smelling juice into a glass for her. "Thank you." She said, surprised, and took the glass. "Everything looks wonderful." She said, unsure of what she was supposed to do.

"I'll return for this later than, if you've no need of anything?" the one asks her. "Yes, that's fine." She said relieved. She wasn't used to having people wait on her and it felt rather awkward. Hungrily she ate her breakfast, which was fantastic. She finished and, not seeing a sink to wash the dishes in, allowed it to sit remembering the man had said he would return. She left her bag behind for a change and made her way towards the palace entrance, though she did grow confused on the way and asked for help once more.

Picking up her brush she began her daily work. She'd done well by doing rooms by herself, so they had been content to allow her to work on her own. She did not mind; it was better than being in places where you were never wanted. So long as she had the room finished nobody minded. They paid her well for it to, when they saw how the floors sparkled and shined.

She rested while she ate her lunch, happy knowing that her parents were being taken care of. She'd go back later to see how they were doing, but she was confident that they were exploring the palace hallways or perhaps going down into the courtyard. She had to do that sometime before she left she told herself.

She had brought her shell with her, and when she had finished with her lunch she fiddled with it and began formulating what she would play for the pharaoh. She was happy with the first few mars, so she put it away and began working again.

Finally night fell, and she returned with her shell back to the roon after returning her pail and brush to their storage place. She had been paid four coins for the room, and three for the next. She jingled the coins happily as she walked into the room, having found it on her own for once, and paced it in the money box.

"Ah, you are home!" her mother said, giving her a hug. "Yes, but I'll be off again soon." She told her. "Ah, that is right. You have to play for the Pharaoh." Her mother said proudly. "I can't wait to hear what he has to say."

"Well, it will have to wait a little longer then." She told her mother. "I expect you to be asleep when I return.

"And why is that?" her mother asked. "I can wait up a little longer for my only daughter. I'm not _that _old yet." She remarked. Alyssa laughed at the comment. "No, that's not it at all," she says. "I'm going to try and work a little bit more tonight. Not all night." She said as she saw her father giving her a strange look. "Just a portion of it. I'm trying to save up s we can get another house."

"Why, aren't you happy here?" her mother said, gesturing around. "Of course I am. This is wonderful." She says. "But I'm sure it's only meant to be temporary. The Pharaoh won't want to hear me play songs all the time-" "And why wouldn't he?" her mother says indignantly. "Does he think he's too good for my daughter now?" she asks. "Hush, Mama." She says. "That's not it at all. Too much of a good thing is bad for you." She says as an excuse. "That's no excuse." Her mother says as if reading her thoughts. "Ah, well," she begins. "I'm thankful he has done so much for us, but I don't want to overstay our welcome. He won't want to pay for us all the time, and quite frankly, I wouldn't want him to either." She says. "We'll probably be here for a while still, but we will eventually be leaving." She says firmly to her mother.

"Ay…alright then." Her mom says, sitting down on a nearby chair. "If that's the way you want it." She says. "I'm not that bad." Alyssa says hurt. "I try my best. Is it the rugs?" she asks. "I can try and stay a little later. We can get them if you want, it'll just be a while. Or if you want a chair, or a bed like these….it'll take a while, but I can earn enough to get them eventually."

"That's not it at all." Her mother says. "It's just…why do you want to go so badly? All your life you've worked hard, and finally you receive your reward and you want to cast it away!" "I am not casting it away." She says. "How long this will last, I don't know. So I am preparing for it, should something happen. It is not that foolish a thing to do." She says, still a little saddened at her mother's earlier comment.

"Never mind." Her mother says, dismissing it. You'd better finish, or you'll be late." She tells her daughter. "Oh, right!" she says. "I'll be on my way then. I might see you in the morning if you are up, but don't trouble yourselves. Sleep in, won't you?" she says, giving her parents quick kisses on their cheek and hurrying out the doorway.

She enters the pharaoh's chambers, happy that the map she had drawn on her hand was still faintly there. She attributed the fact that she reached her room earlier to the same fact and marveled at the substance which was able to withstand so many scrubbings without failing her.

"You seem much more rested today." The Pharaoh says. "Indeed, I am." She replies. "The bed was so soft and deep that I was afraid I might not be able to get out." She confessed to him, slightly red. He laughed warmly. "I'm happy that you like it." He told her. "And I am happy that you are happy, my Lord." She says and he laughs again. "Shall I?" She asks him gesturing with her shell. "Yes, yes, of course, of course." He tells her motioning or her to begin.

And one song after another she plays, bouncing tunes and soulful melodies, ringing throughout the room. Imaginations are stirred, eyes full of mirth and sometimes longing. The spell she weaves with her notes in the air puts everyone in a warm reverie, and she can feel her own self become lost within the music at times. Finally her concert is finished for the night, and she exits the room promising to return the next day as usual.

She drops her shell off just inside her room as she walks towards the room where she keeps her brush and pail. She picks a room out of the ones that need cleaning and sets to work, the brush strokes upon the ground as rhythmic as her notes in the evening breeze.

.:. "Gaah!" The Pharaoh cries as his life point counter drops some more. "Not as easy as you thought, is it, Pharaoh?" Raphael says from across the field. "All you have to do is play one little card, one little card in your hand."

The Pharaoh takes in a deep breath, trying to return it to normal. "I hate to say this Yugi, but he might be right." The Pharaoh says. "So long as we're careful, we could-" "Pharaoh, no!" Yugi interrupts. "That card is evil! You can't possibly play it!" he says. "But it's the only way we can get Timeaus out of that ice!" The Pharaoh tells him. "At this rate, if we don't do something we will lose the duel."

"But that doesn't matter." Yugi says. "Nothing can happen so long as we don't play that card." "But we can end this all right now if we can just get Timeaus! We have to play it." The Pharaoh repeats, taking the card in his hand. "That's it, Pharaoh." Raphael says on the other side of the field, quietly. "You know you want to." The Pharaoh raises his hand,

And stops.

"Pharaoh, no." Alyssa says, holding onto his arm as he turns to look at her. "Do not play that card." "What card?" He asks, noticing that for the first time since she came she was looking him in the eye. "The Seal of Orycalcos. I know which card you were going to play." She says. "Pharaoh, don't play that card. He's toying with you, don't let yourself fall into his trap." She pleads with him. "You do not believe I could get out of a trap?" he says, snidely. "That isn't it at all, and you know it Pharaoh." She tells him, slightly hurt. "Please, I'm begging you, don't' play that card."

"And why should I listen to you, eh?" he asks her. "Why should I listen to you, a mere peasant as you are so fond of saying. You don't even know the rules of the game." "Please." She repeats, wounded by his words. "Do not play that card.

"Why not?" the Pharaoh asks, his voice growing in volume now. "Why not? Have you a reason why I shouldn't?" he asks. "Yes, I do." She says. "Oh? And what could that be?" he asks her. "I…I don't know how to explain it." She says, racking her brain. "But I know, I just know if you do that something bad will happen." She tries to explain, the flickers of her vision coming quick enough for her to receive these feelings but flickering away before she could even begin to remember. "Oh? And have you any proof of this? Any evidence that will help to prove your cause?" he asks her. "No, I don't." she says, looking away before returning her entreating eyes to his. "Please, trust me on this?" she asks him. "I'm afraid not this time." He tells her. "The only thing standing between victory and I, and my ridding us all of this nuisance is five hundred attack points, five hundred attack points that I can gain with this card. I'll take him down with his own card," The Pharaoh says. "Please, Believe me!" she says, her own voice growing a louder. "Don't raise your voice to me." He says, narrowing his eyes. "When do I tell you not to do something?" she attempts. "Please, believe me when I say, don't do this! Stop this now, before it is too late! No good can come of this. Stop this now, before it is too late." She repeats, softer.

"I've had enough of this." He says. "Release my arm now." He tells her. "No", she says defiantly, holding on to it. "I said let go!" the Pharaoh yells, pulling back on his arm harshly so that it flings her to the ground. She lands on her side, bleeding from the various rocks and pebbles that lay on the ground. "Pharaoh," She says, tears in her eyes.

"Yami, don't!" Yugi shouts, holding onto the arm of his partner. "No, Yugi. Not this time." He says, shaking him off. "And now I play, the Seal of Orycalcos!" he yells, slapping the card into the slot that came out of his own duel disk. "Pharaoh no!" she yells as the green circle descends. She can hear him yell as it burns its way onto his forehead. The monsters cry as it appears on their own, their faces contorting into evil glares and eyes turning crimson with the power of the card. Yugi yells as he is transported away to another part of space, where he can look down upon the field and the Pharaoh but knows he can not hear him. "You promised." Yugi said as tears took form in his eyes. "You promised."

And she, she was pushed over the side of the plateau as the Seal expanded its entire area, grabbing on to a dry branch to keep herself from falling into the pit.

"Hey look! There's Yugi!" Joey says as he reaches the edge of the same cliff they had all come over earlier, Tristan at his side. "And look! He's dueling that other jerk! Go Yugi!" Joey shouts encouragement to his pal as they scale down the wall. Yugi turns, his eyes red and angry at Joey.

"Hey wait a second, that's Yugi!" Joey says. "Yeah, Tristan says, landing beside him. "You've already said that." He says.

"But…If that's Yugi, then why's he got that mark on his face?


	18. Chapter 18

.:. Pharaoh Atemu couldn't sleep for some reason tonight, so he got out of bed and began walking around the palace, trying to sort out matters in his head that he thought might be the root of his insomnia tonight. None of the problems seemed large enough to cause him much distress though, so he was slightly baffled at why he could not seem to drop off into dreams. He ran over his nightly habits, trying to see if there had been something he'd forgotten to do, something that was off in his routine that his mind was requesting he do before it allowed itself to slip into a peaceful slumber. He couldn't find anything though, so he kept walking.

It was as he passed a room on the second level that he noticed her, surprised that he had at all. He did not usually come this way, and he had not glanced in the open doorways at all the rooms.

However, for some reason he had found himself in the doorway where the frame of a gently sleeping girl rose and fell with her breath. Alyssa was laid out on the floor in a puddle of water, her scrubbing brush still in her hands. By the way she looked he assumed that she had still been working when she had fallen asleep and her body merely let itself fall. Her one arm was stretched out entirely in a vertical line with her head, on it's side resting against the cold ground. Her other arm was bent at the elbow, the brush still grasped in her fingers. Her legs were bent at the knee, one resting atop the other, and the elbow of her one arm met the top one. Her hair fanned out behind her, some of the golden locks tangled and wet, but most of them fine and neat. The wet ones looked like they were corkscrews, and he imagined with a chuckle that the rest of her hair would look the same when she awoke in the morning.

Smiling he bent down and removed the brush from her hand, and placed it in the pail. He found someone in the halls and told them to take it to whoever was in charge of such things, and see that it was put in its proper place. The man nodded and went on his way as the Pharaoh returned to the room where his private musician lay sleeping.

He kneeled down and slipped an arm under her knees, the other under her tummy so that she rolled onto her back when he lifted her. She rested against him then, snuggling into the space between his arm and chest and giving a contented sigh in her sleep that made the Pharaoh's stomach give a little jump along with this feeling of butterflies that had suddenly possessed him.

He began walking towards her suite, noting some smaller details that he hadn't been able to before. She smelled like honey, and flowers maybe. Her eyelashes were long and dark, and her skin softer than the petals of precious flowers in his gardens. Her hair was quite thick, actually, but brushed well so that he imagined what it would be like to run his fingers through it.

He noticed other things as well. The brush he had given to the man was worn from long work. Her simple white dress was rough, and he could tell that it was of the lowest quality fabric. It made his skin itch where it rubbed against him, and he wondered how she could wear such a thing all day long. Her sandals were worn out, near to getting holes in them from such long use. She obviously hadn't bought them any time soon; in fact it looked as if she had tried to repair them on her own once or twice as well.

He came to the suite and went into it, expecting it to be dark and its residents sleeping. However he was met with the sight of an elderly lady, whom he expected must be her mother. "My Lord." She said, curtsying before him. "Hello," he said, bowing his own head politely in response. "She has the last room then, on the right?" he asked, as it had been the one he'd suggested for her. "Yes, I do believe so." She told him, leading the way.

He followed her (Though he well knew his way around, but he did not tell her that.) and gently set the still resting girl on her bed. Settling in, she rested her head on her arms. The Pharaoh took one of the pillows and lifted her head, gently easing the pillow under it. She felt it in her sleep and her arms reached up, pulling the pillow until it appeared as if she was hugging it, her head resting at the top as she snuggled into it as she had into the Pharaoh's chest.

His heart skipped a beat at the sight and he pushed her hair behind her ear and away from her neck as her mother pulled the blanket up to her chin. "I had been wondering where she was." Her mother remarked as she finished. "I told her she should have come home but," she sighed. "She can be so stubborn.

"I see." The pharaoh says to her. "I'm so sorry." She says, turning to him once more. "I'm her mother." She says. "And I'm sure I know who you are, Pharaoh Atemu." She said, smiling slightly.  
"Yes, I am." He says with a light grin. "How astute of you to notice." She laughed lightly at this but quieted herself quickly as she saw Alyssa stir in her sleep. "Come now, let's leave her here so that we don't wake her." She says, opening the door for the Pharaoh as he follows. Slowly she closes it.

"Now, I'm assuming you are here because you couldn't sleep a wink either." She asked him as they went out into the living room. "So can I get you something to drink?" she asks. "We have some wine left that the servants left us. I'm sure we could spare you a glass." She says, taking two out and pouring a reddish purple liquid into two goblets before handing one to the Pharaoh who was seated on one of the sofas. "To your health." She says lightly, raising the glass and then taking a sip. "And likewise to yours." The Pharaoh says, mimicking her.

"Do you have a name that I might address you by?" the Pharaoh asks her. "Oh, just call me Mom." She tells him. "It's a word I never get tired of hearing." She says. "All right then…Mom." He says. "There, that's nice, see?" she laughs with him. "You'll have to forgive an old woman for her nightly manners when she is drinking, my boy." She tells him. "So long as you'll do the same for me." He jokes back with her and she laughs again.

"I must say, you are nothing like your daughter." He remarks, looking at her with a smile. "Oh really?" she jests with him. "I do think she got my nose, and thank the heavens for that because if she'd have gotten her father's…" she said.

"No, not like that at all." The Pharaoh began. "How come you are so easy going and she is so…" "Timid and reserved?" she asks him. "Yes." He blurts out. "She will never look me in the eye, much less lay here drinking wine and joke with me in such hours." "Ah yes." Her mother sighs. "I guess that's probably my fault." She says. "But know this now, she is not as timid as she seems. There is real fire hidden behind those eyes, if only you can break through to it." "What do you mean? About her timidity and reservation being your fault, that is." the Pharaoh asks, taking another sip from his cup.

"You see, it was when she was little. You were just a little prince then. You can't be much older than her, I don't believe. What are you, seventeen? Eighteen?" "Eighteen." The Pharaoh replies as he takes another sip. "Ah, yes. Just two years. She's only seen sixteen summers, you see." The Pharaoh made a mental note about that. "Anyway, when she was…I'd say four, maybe five years old. Couldn't have been more than six." She said shaking her head. "She used to come with me to the palace. I used to work here, you see." She said, gesturing around her. "Doing the same thing she does now. Anyway, I used to bring her with me and she used to help. Now, work is work, no matter what size the person is who does it, so she would sit next to me and we would work together. At the end of the day, we'd both be paid, and if we were doing well, I'd even let her buy a treat at the market."

"What did she usually get?" The Pharaoh asked, genuinely interested. "Oh, just little things." "Beads and such?" he asked her. "Oh no. She never did get ordinary things. They were always something different." "Such as?" "Well, sometimes she'd get some small pipe or reed or something. She always has loved music, but I'm sure you know that." She says as he nods. "Sometimes she would trade someone to teach her how to write something in the sand. Neither her father or I write, but she probably knows quite a bit if you were to ask her. Though, I'm sure, she'd be hesitant since she really isn't supposed to know." She says. "That reminds me of another story I'll have to tell you sometime. But I digress." She said, looking at him and he smiled. He liked this warm, chatty woman.

"Anyway, we were walking through the halls on break one day, you see. She used to love coming to the palace and looking around. Anyway, one day we saw you, and yes, I'm sure it was you, sitting down at one of the tables. Oh, you were so cute, your feet swinging in the air since you weren't quite tall enough for them to reach the ground yet." He smiled. "And you were sitting there, putting together a puzzle. It might have even been that very one you hold around your neck now." She said, nodding at it. "Or maybe it was one similar to it. I don't know, but it was no ordinary puzzle. Not one of those flat things that the children in the market usually buy. But you were sittin there and you had the _oddest_ look on your face. Like all of a sudden this plus that didn't equal what it was supposed to. And, if I might add, you were getting rather frustrated."

"Well, she sat there, watching you, and when I wasn't even paying attention I heard her little voice. 'No, that one goes here.' she said, taking the piece out of your hand, 'and that one goes there, and then you twist it.' She said happily as the pieces interlocked."

"You looked at the puzzle, Alyssa, and at the puzzle again. I think you might have been a little irritated that she figured it out before you did, and, if you'll forgive me again, because she was a girl. Now I know my daughter, and when I looked over I could see she was already putting more pieces of that puzzle together in her head. She was reaching for another when I noticed how you looked and your father behind you looked and I tell you I jumped the length of twelve men across that room and grabbed her little hand before she could touch another bit of it."

"Suffice to say I apologized for her and rushed her away before anything more could happen. I was much like she is now, you see, and when I got her home I gave her the sternest talking to that a little girl could receive and didn't take her back with me for a good number of days. To be quite honest I'm surprised she even says a word when you are around now. Ever since she's tried to keep out of the way."

"What kind of things did you tell her?" the Pharaoh asks, puzzled. "Oh, just this and that." She says. "But it carries meaning to her to this day?" he asks her. "Yes, I suppose it does. Do not some things from your own childhood imprint onto you that you will never forget, no matter how trivial someone else might view them?" He supposed she was right. "Think back, Pharaoh. Do you remember that day?" she asked him. He searched the recesses of his memory but wasn't sure if he did or didn't. "No, I can't say that I do. Though I can't say that I don't either." He adds. "It's okay." She says to him. "I say that I do or don't remember things sometimes myself." They laugh and each take another sip of their wine. "So you used to work here before, but not anymore then?" "Yes, I did." She begins. "In fact, I do believe that was that other story I meant to tell you about. Oddly enough, we usually were told to clean the room you studied in. That's one of the reasons I'm so sure it was you. I'm quite sure she was listening in on your lessons." She told him. "You know, you could get her into a lot of trouble by telling me that." He tells her. "But if she wasn't in your social graces I wouldn't be sitting here able to tell you that, now would I?" she challenged him. "You are a very different old woman, Mom." He told her. "And I'll thank you for that." She says, raising her glass to him.

"Was there a reason why you stopped working for us, or was it merely too much for you as time went by?" he asked, trying to pose the question's last half politely. "Oh…no, it wasn't anything like that." She says, and sighs again. "An unpleasant reason perhaps? You needn't tell me, if you don't want to." He tells her. "No, no…it's not that." She sighs again. "When…When Alyssa was four years old," she began. "Her father got in a terrible work accident. He was on the building crew for one of the monuments, you see, and unfortunately one day a few of the stone pillars fell. Well, they all decided to roll their way right on over him." She says. "That's horrible." The Pharaoh says. "Oh yes." She continues. "Luckily his injuries weren't life threatening, though we were concerned about him for a while. Unfortunately, one of his arms became mangled by one of the pillars. Not so much that they had to amputate it, but still, he can never use it again. It hangs onto life strangely enough. I've seen other's husbands who ended up cutting their arms after it began rotting on them while they were alive. Alyssa, oddly enough, tells me that it is because there is no blood flow to the arms anymore because something inside them cuts off or twists or something so that it can't give it to the arm anymore, so the arm just dies while the person lives. She tells me that if it isn't removed though it can be dangerous for the entire body though."

"She seems to know a lot about many things." The Pharaoh went on to say. "Oh yes, you'd be surprised. She seems to have some kind of passion for learning and the arts. Slowly but surely she makes her way along." "I can see." The Pharaoh says. "But that isn't why you stopped working, it would be a cause for you to work more, wouldn't it?"

"Well yes, it would. And it did." She began. "With his one arm mangled and no real strength from the waist up, he couldn't do much. The builders wouldn't hire him, and his hand was too clumsy for weaving and other activities. He couldn't seem to find a place to work anywhere." She tells him.

"Now, to finish this story to tell you mine to tell you Alyssa's, if you can follow all that, I first have to tell you another one." She says. "Yes I can, and I've got the time." He says, amused. "When we first moved to this city, for we used to live in another one, we went searching for a nice house. We did plan on having kids, as every man and wife do, and so we were looking for a house. Well, we came across this man who had a wonderful house and all her charged us was a small amount of money each day. Well, we were on top of the world with our wedding gifts and he had a job and I had a job, we had plenty of money to spare. It was nothing. So we agreed. Well, pretty soon we had this darling baby girl, so I stayed home to take care of her for a while. It wasn't bad; we still had plenty to go around. True it was a little stretched, but we always had bread on the table. But then he began raising the price, piece by piece over the years. Sometimes it goes up, and sometimes it goes down. But we had made a deal that we could pay him or that very day he could evict us from the home. Not bright in hindsight, but we were new at the game and had no idea what we ought to do. We were keeping up just fine, so we weren't worried either."

"Well, then my husband had his accident and that removed a great portion of income. Yes, we could take what I made, but that didn't leave much for daily things. Ra help us if Alyssa grew out of her clothes or needed new shoes. Though for as small as she was she seemed to have an incredible concept when it came to our income; she never asked for anything after the accident and instead began coming with me to work at the palace. I didn't mind. We'd laugh and tell jokes throughout the day as we worked and I'm sure she leeched some kind of an education off of you. Maybe not the best, but I'm sure she knows something."

"It went well for about two years before the trouble really began to pick up. With both I and my child working, we were once again able to make ends meet decently. Again, stretched, but we had what we needed. It didn't help that our landlord kept raising his prices, which we had agreed to meet, but we were able to meet his little payments that he requested of us." She sighs.

"Then one day I took ill, a grave illness. The doctor's couldn't seem to cure me. Now, even if you don't remember how she played with your puzzle, I'm sure you remember this. There was a plague upon Egypt at the time; many fell sick and died, others went blind or paralyzed. There were many after effects." He nodded his head as he recalled that terrible time. He had been kept inside, his father and caretakers worried that whatever was out there would get him unless he was tucked safely away inside a room. It had been a while before the sickness had passed. His own advisor had fallen ill to it; he had escaped without any kind of lingering effects. One of the lucky few.

"I did get well…eventually." She went on to say. "It was a while, but I came out of it. I was very weak though, and still am. I can not stay in the sun very long before falling ill and dizzy. I cannot even stand for long or I grow ill and must lie down. The conditions persist to this very day. And, as you can see, that would leave me-"

"Unable to hold a job." He finishes for her. "Precisely." She says. "I could keep up the house, but there is no way I would be able to work in the palace, scrubbing floors to earn money. She had been there for almost two years by that point, so they allowed her to keep on. She worked harder than many of the grown women. And I'll bet she still does." She said. "You saw her yourself." She told the Pharaoh. "She's been working so hard trying to make enough money to keep up with the payments. She'd been taking days off work lately and, well, we didn't know why at first. She hasn't slept much because she's been trying to work both night and day to make enough to get us by. What she had yesterday was probably the first meal she's had in days. She was working tonight, in fact, hoping to make some more money so that we could leave sooner."

"I thought she enjoyed it here." The Pharaoh says, shocked. "Oh, she does. Did you not see her happy face when you laid her down on that bed, boy? These past few weeks…they're the happiest I've seen her since she was a child. She loves it here. She loves to play for you at night. It makes all the problems she faces in the day worthwhile. Can't you _see_ that?"

"I can. But if it's so wonderful why doesn't she wish to stay?" "She's worried that you won't want to hear her music forever. She's worried that one day you'll up and tell us to leave, and she doesn't want her father or me to be out on the street without a house when you do."

"But you are all welcome to stay as long as you wish." The Pharaoh says, seriously. "I don't mind, really." He repeats. "Have you told her that?" she says, looking at him over the rim of her glass. "It all goes back to that day where I told her not to get in your way and to leave you alone. Childhood imprints go a long way. It is when you are little that you are made to believe the things you hold tightest to in life."

"And what other things does she hold to?" he asks her. "Loneliness. Worry. And happiness. A thrill for trying new things and perfecting those of old. And hope. Most of all hope. She was six, Pharaoh, _six_ when she took on the burden of running a household, taking care of her aging parents, and making the rent. She was six when she would get up at dawn and run on legs that couldn't reach over most of the counters in the market to fetch water for the day before going off to her job. She was six, and not a soul spoke to her or gave her the time of day when she went around trying to earn more money to buy her father and I some of the finer things in life to make our stay at home more pleasant because she thought we were bored. She was six when she gave up thinking for herself and more towards other people. She was six when people cheated her left and right, and when they needed help she'd help them anyway, knowing that she'd probably be cheated again in the end. She was six when she was forced to grow up, and denied the chance at ever being a child."

The Pharaoh remained quiet after this. "She has never lead an easy life." The woman went on. "She's happy, but scared. She's been hurt so many times she doesn't want to allow herself to be hurt again. And yet she knows that she's also leaving herself wide open for another blow. She is not a simple, stupid woman that is content to stay at home and weave cloths for a man that cares nothing for her. She wants to allow herself to breathe, but every time she's even tried to speak to someone, especially people her own age, she is turned away. Unless, of course, they want to cheat her, which they do quite frequently. You wonder why she never asked for help. I can see it in your eyes. Quite frankly, it's never been there. Her father and I could do nothing. Words can only go so far. Every time she's been in desperate need she's had to deal with it on her own. And now that it's there, now that she has someone she can count on, she doesn't want to ask because she's afraid of disappointing that person, just as much as she's afraid that the help she requires would suddenly be taken away."

She took a sip of her wine as she looked at him. "I don't know if this will surprise you, Pharaoh, but you are probably the first person that's ever offered a bit of kindness to her. Quite frankly, I don't think she knows what she's supposed to do."

"I see." The Pharaoh says, as he finishes his glass and stands up, a million thoughts in his head. "Well, I think I'll be returning to my own bed now." He says, glancing at the doorway to Alyssa's room. He'd never have guessed…and now, he'd received all sorts of things to think about. "It's melodramatic, I know." She told the Pharaoh as she stood. "But I assure you, she's happy. Odd you must think for one who has been given so many bad lots in life. But she is."

"One of a kind." He said in agreement to this woman whom he had bonded with. "I'm sure she'd say the same about you." She said. She walked him to the front of the hall. "I wonder." She started, as he was walking through the doorway. "You wonder what?" he asked. "I wonder…if all those ears ago…that day when you were sitting there, trying to make sense of that puzzle…I wonder what would have happened if I'd never pulled her away." She paused for a moment. "Or maybe if we'd never had that little chat when we'd gotten home that day. Mm." she says, shrugging. "Good night, Pharaoh." She tells him. "Goodnight, Mom." He says in return, walking off.

Later he lay in his bed staring at the ceiling, thinking about all he had learned that night. Both her parents had been unable to work when she was a surprisingly young age, so she had taken on the burden herself. Apparently, for all her talents she'd been cast out of society and utterly isolated. Apparently she trusted that he'd help her enough that she would never ask, and in some odd way that led her to believe that he _wouldn't _help her. He sighed and rolled over, falling into a deep dreamless sleep.


	19. Chapter 19

.:."Yugi, what're you doing?" Joey calls to him from the side. " 'Ey look, Tristan!" he shouts, pointing to Alyssa who was hanging onto the branch still. The Seal had gone to the very edges of the circular plateau-she could not even take hold of the very edge of the earth. "Good idea. Let's ask her." He says to Joey. "Hey! Alyssa! What's goin' on down there?" "Idiot!" Joey says, swatting him on the back of the head. "We need to find a way to get her up." He says. "Well, do you have any bright idea? 'Cause I don't see anything around here long enough to stick out or throw to her." Looking around Joey nodded his head in agreement.

"Hey, just hold on! We'll figure something out!" he calls to her. Alyssa takes hold of the dead and grimy branch that she hangs on to. _"Look what you've done!"_ she thinks to herself, blinking tears out of her eyes. _"Now there's no way you can change it."_ Her mind continued, even though she didn't know what 'it' was.

"And now I separate KuriBabylon back into the five Kuriboh brothers." He says, "And thanks to the seal, they each gain five hundred life points. Next I put them back together as KuriBabylon, who again gains another five hundred!" he shouts as his words are actions on the field. "That's one powerful firball." Raphael says as it's attack points goes over four thousand. "Now, KuriBabylon, attack!" the Pharaoh says, thrusting a finger towards one of Raphael's Guardian monsters on the other side of the field. "Not so fast, Pharaoh! This trap card should stop your furball in it's tracks!" he says, revealing one of his face down cards. Suddenly a chain leaps forth and ensnares the advancing monster, holding it back.

"I end my turn" the Pharaoh says, gritting his teeth. "And now, it's my turn." Raphael says. "Go!" he shouts, and one of his monsters destroys one of the Pharaoh's. Luckily it was in defense mode, so the Pharaoh didn't lose any points this turn. "I'll place this facedown and end my turn. But don't forget, your KuriBabylon still can't attack." "I am well aware of the situation." He tells his adversary. "My KuriBabylon isn't the only thing I've left though. Now I play, Turtle catapult! Which allows me to sacrifice one of my monsters to hit you directly." He says. "And I choose, Queen's Knight!" he says, as his monster hops onto the catapult and is rushed forward, slashing at Raphael's life points. "Luckily for you, that's all I'm allowed to do. So I'll end my turn. That's all right though," the Pharaoh says with an evil grin. "Because next turn I'll use my canon to take away the _rest_ of your life points."

"That can't be Yugi!" Joey says, balling a fist. "It is!" says a blue haired boy next to him as he pushes up his glasses. "He played that Orycalcos card and man did he change." Says his friend, a shock of purple hair protruding from underneath a hat. "Weevil, Rex. What're you two doing here?" he asks. "Oh, nothing." They say. "Well tell me all about this nothin' or else you're gonna pay!" Joey says, lifting up Weevil by his collar. "Easy, Easy!" he says, waving his arms in the air. "I'll talk! I'll talk!" he shouts. "Then start talking." Joey says, setting him back down on the ground.

The Pharaoh sent out his dragon thingy." Weevil begins. "Timeaus?" Joey asks him. "Yeah, that's it." The boy replies. "But that other one…the blonde haired guy, made it into this giant sculpture of ice. The Pharaoh needed five hundred more attack points and he knew that card would give it to him. So he played it. I don't blame him either." He said, pushing up his glasses. "He played it? Just like that?" Joey asks, snapping his fingers. "Well, no, that girl over there tried to stop him, but he just-" "Tossed her down like a rag doll." Rex cuts in. "Hey, I was telling the story!" Weevil says to him. "Buzz off!" Rex says back. "Wait, what happened after that?" Tristan asks. "Well, he played the card." Weevil began. "So he got his dragon back, right?" Tristan interrupts. "Don't interrupt me." The blue one says. "AS I was saying, he played the card and got his dragon back, but-" "But then the dragon disappeared!" Rex cut in. "I SAID DON'T INTERRUPT ME!" Weevil shouts. "Hold it! Timeaus just disappeared?" Joey asks, holding the two apart. "Yeah. The blonde one was like 'Oh, did I forget to mention? Timeaus and the Orycalcos don't' go together very well'." "And than the Dark Magician girl returned to his side of the field, but the Dragon just went away." Weevil finishes.

"Go, my Dark Magician girl!" They hear on the field. She looks back at the Pharaoh. "Go on. It's your turn now." He says to her. She nods and hops on the catapult. "No, not the Dark Magician Girl!" Yugi yells from his other realm. "What're you, nuts?" Joey calls from across the way. "It's over!" the Pharaoh shouts, but then he hears "REVEAL FACE DOWN CARD!"

Looking over, he sees Raphael is sliced by the dark magician girl, but still retains a mere one hundred life points. "He saved himself!" Tristan says, astonished. "Attack!" he yells to one of his Gaurdians, which destroys the turtle catapult. And next, you!" he says, turning towards the Pharaoh. "I play my Guardian Iatos," he says, placing a card down on the field. "Meet my favorite guardian." He says to the Pharaoh. "And I'll increase his power with the Sword of Reckoning!" he says, placing a card down on his duel disk, as It appears in the Guardian's hands. "This allows me to infuse the sword with the attack power of all the monsters in your graveyard. That includes your Jack's Knight, King's Knight…" He goes on, listing the monsters in the order they were sent to the graveyard as their ghosts drift into the sword, offering it their power.. "Your Queen's Knight, and your Dark Magician Girl. In total it is over ten thousand points." "No…" the Pharaoh says, taking a step back as he looks at the creatures. "What have I done?" he asks himself. "My Knights…" he says, seeing their forms turned livid when the Seal took them. "The Kuriboh brothers" he says, the five happy balls of fluff muting together into a glaring, moldy green KuriBabylon. "And…Dark Magician Girl." He finishes, her once happy face now sneering and wicked.

"Prepare to give up your soul, Pharaoh." Raphael says. "Iatos, now!" And Iatos lunges towards him as the Pharaoh stands. "Forgive me." He whispers before the powerful attack saps him of the rest of his life points. The seal glows on his forehead as it encompasses him. "Pharaoh, no!" Yugi shouts. Taking the puzzle in his hands, he beats on the barrier between them. "By all the power of the millennium puzzle" he says. "Let me free!" And he hits the window he'd been looking through with the point of the millennium puzzle and breaks free.

"That's it, Pharaoh." Raphael says as he comes closer and sees the Pharaoh, his shoulder slumped in defeat. "Don't even try to resist." The Pharaoh looks up at him, and then beyond him. "Yugi." He says. "I'm sorry."

"I know Pharaoh." Yugi says. "The world needs you right now…more than it needs me." "What?" the Pharaoh asks, confused. "It only needs one of us." Yugi says, looking up at him with his innocent eyes, tears forming slightly at the corners. "So I'm letting the Seal take me instead."

"Yugi? No!" The Pharaoh shouts, as the Seal passes from his forehead to Yugi's, and the green light descends. "Yugi!" he shouts, as he disappears.

The unconscious body of the pair slumps to the ground. Realizing that the battle is over, Alyssa reaches up and climbs onto the ledge. In the center of the field she sees the unconscious body of the Pharaoh.

"Pharaoh, no!" she shouts and runs over to him. She rolls him over to check his breathing. "I believe that is mine." Raphael says, coming over and removing the Seal from the Pharaoh's duel disk. "Fine. Now leave." Alyssa says, attempting to pull the Pharaoh's unconscious form away from him.

"I'll be taking that too." He says reaching for him as a helicopter flies overhead, dropping him a ladder. "No!" She shouts, covering his body with her own. "Leave him be!"

"Get off!" Raphael yells and pushes her off of him, hoisting the unconscious ruler over his shoulder. "No." she says, taking hold of the ladder as the helicopter lifts him off the ground. "Give him back!" she shouts, pulling on his shoe. "Hey buddy! Give that here or I'll really make life miserable for ya!" Joey shouts at him. "You all want this so badly? Heh. Take it then. I've got what I need anyway." He says and tosses the figure to those below. Joey catches him with a grunt as Tristan catches Alyssa, who had also been shaken off.

Stretching him out they call his name. "Yugi, wake up!" Joey says. "C''mon, Yugi, quit playin' around!" Tristan says, shaking him. They are so engrossed with making sure that Yugi/the Pharaoh are alright they don't realize Weevil and Rex as they hop onto the helicopter rope ladder.

The Pharaoh's eyes squeeze shut as he puts up a hand to his head. "Alright Yugi!" Joey shouts, pumping a fist in the air. "So how'd you do it, eh? Even I don't know how you could fool that thing into leavin' you be. So spill the beans, how'd you do it?"

"We were so worried, my Lord." Alyssa says. "I'm so glad to see that you're alright." "Yeah, yeah, yeah. He's cool. Now tell us the secret, tell us the trick, eh!" Joey says. "There is no secret, there is no trick. I didn't fool anything, Joey. They got him." The Pharaoh says, banging the ground with his fists. "Wha?" Joey asked him. "It should have been me!" The Pharaoh shouts, angry tears trailing down his cheek. "It was my fault…it should have been me!"

.:. Alyssa woke up to sunlight streaming onto her face from her window and her door. Her eyes squeezed tight and her nose scrunched up. It appeared as if she was blinking with her eyes closed for a few moments, before they closed real tight and opened up. She stretched out, flipped over, nestled her head back into the pillow and closed her eyes for another few moments, before finally opening them awake.

"Sleep well?" her mother came in, hearing her shuffle around in bed signaling her return to consciousness. "Yes…very well." she said. She rolled onto her back and looked at the ceiling.

"Mama…" she began, "I remember going to the room to clean last night, and I remember being tired. But I do _not_ remember walking back here." She says. "How did I get back here last night? Do you know?" she asked her. "Of course I know dear. He carried you back. You fell asleep while you were working." Her mother said, placing something in a drawer. "Who carried me?" she asked suspiciously. "The Pharaoh, dear." She told her, still rummaging in the drawers.

"THE PHARAOH!" she shouted, her voice raising as she sat bolt upright. "He carried me here? _Himself?_" she asked. "Yes, dear." Her mother said, still not looking at her. "Oh, he probably thinks I'm lazy now." She said, covering her face with her hands and flopping backwards onto the pillows. "He's probably saying 'No wonder they lost their house' right now!"

"Of course he isn't, dear. He knows you've just been overworking yourself." "No he doesn't." she mumbled as a few people came in with her breakfast on a tray. "What's this?" she asked as she sat up and they laid it out before her. "Breakfast in bed!" her mother announced. "Isn't it wonderful?"

"I guess…" Alyssa started, still not used to all the service. The attendants left the room then so that she could be alone with her mother. She gave in to her growling stomach however, and dug in to the plate full of hot food that lay before her.

"He really is a nice fellow." Her mother went on. "I was talking to him last night." Alyssa swallowed her food hard. "You what?" she said. "I was. Chatting with the Pharaoh. Me. Hmm." Her mother said with a smile. "But-" "Forget all that." Her mother said coming over to her and picking a roll off of what was left of the plate. "Relax and have some fun today." "I can't I have to go. Oh my goodness, my pail! My brush! I forgot them last night! They're probably still in that room!" she said as she hurriedly changed and began walking towards the front.

"I love you mom, but I've got to go. See you later bye!" she shouted as she pulled on her sandals and began hurrying towards the door. "I'm afraid you'll find it harder to…never mind." Her mother said as she saw her daughter rush towards the front. "She'll find out when she gets there." And went to check on her husband.

Alyssa reached the front door and opened it to see two burly guardsmen standing outside her door. "If you'll just let me slip past…" she said, attempting to get by them. "I'm afraid I need through."

"I'm sorry Miss, but we've been ordered to keep you in your suite. You are to spend your day resting." They tell her. "…What?" she asks them confused. "You must have the wrong person. I need to get through, so please." She says, trying to go in between them. "I'm sorry Miss, but they are the Pharaoh's orders. Now please, return to your bed." One of them says. "This is ridiculous!" she says, but turns around. "Mom!" she calls. "Have you any idea why I'm being locked up in a room like this?"

"Of course, child. It's because you are supposed to rest today. You are obviously overworking yourself and the Pharaoh wants you to be well." "But-" "Oh, don't bother." Her mother told her. "He can be just as stubborn as you, I am sure."

She returned to her bed then and found that the tray had been removed. She climbed back in and slept for a while longer. She opened her eyes again after what she had estimated to be about two hours sleep and reached for her brush to begin combing her hair.

A few minutes later she heard a knock on her door. "Come in." she said, expecting one of her parents. Instead, in through the door walked the Pharaoh, dressed and ready for the day. She gasped and dropped her brush, averting her eyes to the bedspread. "Good morning." He says to her. "Good morning, my Lord." She says to him in return, fiddling with the brush that she now held in her hand. "I came by earlier but you were still asleep." "How was your rest last night, my Lord?" she asks. "It was well, thank you, when I finally could." He said.

"I'm sorry." She said, her face an expression of embarrassment and sadness. "I did not mean for you to have to carry me. I apologize…normally I do not fall asleep when I am working, I promise you. If you had only woken me up I could have finished or at least walked back on my own and saved you the trouble-" "I didn't mind." The Pharaoh says, interrupting her. "It was nothing, really." He tells her. "May I?" he asks, gesturing towards the bed. "Of course." She says, scooting over as he sits with her.

"And how was your sleep?" he asked her as he sat next to her, his back leaning against the headboard. "Evidently very well if I did not wake as you carried me." She remarks. "Everyone needs a break every now and again." He tells her. "Is that why you've ordered me shut up in my room today?" she asked him bluntly.

"Oh." The Pharaoh said. "That." "Yes, that." She says to him. "You need to relax every now and again." He tells her. "If you keep working so hard…you'll burn yourself out. That's exactly what happened last night. Don't you see?" "Yes, I can see very well. And hear and smell and taste and touch and all those things." She says grumpily as he laughs. "It's only for one day. You need to rest. Granted, you can leave your room, but I know if I let you out of the suite you'll go straight back to work."

"So that is why you stationed those men there?" she asks him. "Yes, I take it you've met them?" she asks. "Yes. They told me I needed to return to bed. I would have tried to slip past them again, but the way they were looking at me I'd think they would literally pick me up and carry me back to it. I preferred walking."

The Pharaoh chuckles again and she turns a bit more scarlet. "You can visit the courtyard today as well." he tells her. "I just don't want you going off to your job. And don't bother trying to sneak out through other exits in the courtyard; there is someone stationed at every entrance and exit and they all know what you look like." She blushed furiously this time and merely said "Thank you, my Lord." As she turned away.

The Pharaoh watched her as she began brushing her hair again. He'd been right-the ends of her hair were al curled into corkscrews. Some were thick and some were thin, but when she finished brushing them her hair was endless waves of gold. The Pharaoh longed to reach out and take the brush from her hand and do the task for her as he remembered how sweet she smelled and how soft it was. But no, he let her be.

Sighing with this thought he made to stand. "Perhaps I will come and visit with you later?" he asks her. Putting down her brush she hesitates. "I would like that." She confesses after a pause. "Then I'll return at high noon, if you don't mind." He tells her. "Please do." She says nervously as she puts the brush down on one of the side tables. He opens the door and is exiting when she calls out "Thank you…again. For everything." She tells him. "It is I who should be thanking you, Alyssa." He says, and closes the door as her heart skips with the sound of hearing her name.

.:.Slowly (for once) Duke's car pulled in front of his driveway. "We were so worried." Tea says, as she and Rebecca slide out. "Where's Yugi?" she asks when she notices he isn't there. Behind the car comes the Pharaoh riding on Copernicus, Alyssa trailing after him on her own horse. They swing down and place their feet on the ground, none of the group looking at each other in the eyes. "Yugi!" Rebecca shouts and rushes over, giving the Pharaoh a hug. "I knew you could do it Yugi!" she says happily. "I'm sorry Rebecca, Yugi's gone." The Pharaoh says quietly. "Huh?" she says though, as she realizes this person that might look like Yugi is different.

"What do you mean?" she says, backing up. "What?" Tea asks. "They took Yugi's soul." The Pharaoh explains, his heart cloven in two inside. "But, shouldn't you be on the ground, not moving?" Tea asks him, confused. "Professor Hopkins has emerged from the trailer. "Perhaps it is best if we go inside, Rebecca." He says, understanding. "No!" She shouts. "I want to know! What happened?"

The Pharaoh sighs. "I lost control, Rebecca. I lost the duel, and Yugi gave his own soul to save mine." What? "So then…they played that card again?" Tea asks. "Not them, Tea. I did." The Pharaoh says. "What?" Rebecca asks. "You…you did this to my Yugi…a-and he gave himself up for you?" 'I'm sorry, Rebecca." Yami says.

"What? No!" She shouts, leaning onto him. "Why didn't _you_ go? It was _your _fault! I want my Yugi back! It should have been you! It should have been you!" She shouts as she beats against him with her fists. The Pharaoh just stands there, blinking back his own tears of self loathing.

"That's enough, okay?" Tea shouts at her and the girl stops. "Look, what's done is done. What the Pharaoh did might not have been smart, but he did it nonetheless. Now stop crying and let's come up with a way to get Yugi back." She says, her face set.

"Right." Rebecca nods as the group slowly walks inside. "Hello, Pharaoh." Professor Hopkins says to him. "How are you, Professor?" Yami says, his voice low and quiet. "I'm doing well. Though I think that we should begin by letting me tell you about my latest research findings."

"As you know, I've been studying the city of Atlantis. I had found a new cave, full of new hieroglyphics. They led me to believe that what happened to Atlantis so many years ago may be occurring again today." He announces to the group. "What?" they all ask. "Ten thousand years ago there was a great war in Atlantis, the sides naturally Good versus Evil. Going through the hieroglyphics, I was able to piece together certain facts about this war, facts that seem to coincide and depict some of the very things that have been happening as of late in the world."

"And what are these similarities?" the Pharaoh asks. "Well, is seems that the Ancient Atlantians believed there were two worlds occupying the same space, but in parallel dimensions. One was the Duel Monsters world, the Other, our world. Strong beings could call forth the monsters from the other world into this one. However, when there was an abnormally strong power at work, known as the 'great beast' in these writings, the sky lit with rainbow colors."

"Like when we saw that eye in the sky." Joey says. "Precisely. That eye is a portion of this great beast, the same one that wreaked havoc and destroyed Atlantis so many years ago!" "But if that's the case, then what are we supposed to do now?" Tristan asks him. "It is said that there will return the three legendary knights, formerly turned into three legendary dragons. Only the chosen three can wield these cards." "Kaiba, Yugi, and I?" Joey asks. "No, Kaiba, the Pharaoh, and you, Joey." Professor Hopkins corrects him.

"But why then did my dragon disappear when I played the-" "You played the very force the dragons fought against, Pharaoh." Professor Hopkins said. "And Timeaus would not allow that force to control him. So, he simply left. Though I do say I don't believe he trusts his entire fate to you anymore." The Pharaoh sighs. "I understand."

"It should have been you." Rebecca says, throwing a pillow at him from across the room, which the Pharaoh doesn't even bother to block. Alyssa picks it up and is ready to toss it back at the child but the Pharaoh stops her. "No, leave her be." He says. "As you wish, my Lord." She says, and giving the girl a nasty look tosses the pillow to the side, returning to her seat beside the Pharaoh.

"Now, now, Rebecca." Her grandfather chides her. "The Pharaoh feels bad enough. There is no need to make him feel worse." He says. "So where is all this information, huh?" Joey says, trying to get off the subject. "I had copies of it in my house, but as you can see, they've been destroyed." "So there is no way to find this again?" he asks. "Actually there is." The Professor says. "There is a museum, in Florida, which has all the original data. If we can go there, you can find out everything you need to know."

"Alright!" Joey says standing up. "Florida here we come!" he shouts. "You do realize that that is on the other side of this continent, right?" Tea asks him. "Uh…Oh yeah. No problem, there's always one man that can give us a ride."

"Mr. Kaiba, there is a call for you on line one of the videophone." The secretary tells Seto Kaiba in his office at Kaiba Corporations. "Thank you." He tells his secretary, and turns on the line as she shuts the door. On the screen is one very large eye and eyebrow. "Hey, Kaiba!" Joey shouts. "Can you guys see me over there?"

"It helps if you step back from the camera." Mokuba says. "Oh." Joey says, and takes a giant step back. "Better?" "What do you want?" Seto asks, getting straight to the point. "Well, Kaiba, we need a ride." "So call a taxi." He says.

"Well, it'd be kinda hard to get a taxi to take us from here to Florida. Mind sending us one of those planes you never use?" "No." Kaiba says. "Kaiba we need your help." The Pharaoh says. "I lost the duel to a man named Raphael and he took Yugi's soul with the Seal of Orycalcos." "Don't tell me you believe that Seal of Orycalcos crap." Kaiba says. "You've seen it before?" Joey asks him, as the entire group is shocked. "That fool Alaster tried to do the same to me, only I don't believe in that kind of made up jabber. The seal is a joke, nothing more." He tells them. "But Kaiba-" the Pharaoh begins and is cut off. "Don't you start talking to me about destiny again." He warns him. "I'm not fooled by this at all. The only thing that happened when you lost is you proved you never should have won that title anyway. I'm the best at duel monsters. There's no way you could beat me in a fair duel." "He's done that plenty of times!" Joey says angrily. "Mere luck. When it comes down to skill I'll admit he has some but nothing compared to mine. I don't do charity work. This call is over." He says as he pushes a button on his keyboard and the screen goes blank.

"They…took Yugi's soul?" Mokuba says. "Seto, what if that happened to you?" he asks him, worried. "Don't worry Mokuba. I don't believe in that nonsense." "But what if it is true?" Mokuba persists. "Then I just don't plan on losing any time soon, so I've nothing to worry about.

"Man, I can't believe that Kaiba!" Joey says angrily. "After all we've done for him!" "What's that?" Tristan asks him dryly. "Aw, shut up." Joey says. "Now is not the time to be fighting!" Tea says, standing in between the two as they began pulling back fists and screeching them to a halt. "What else is there around her that we could use?" she asks Rebecca. "Well, there's a train station in the next town. You could use that. I can get you tickets for tomorrow."

"Perfect" Tea says.

Suitcases in hand the next day, Yami, Joey, Tristan, Tea, and Alyssa step onto the train platform. "We'll make sure to call you if anything turns up." The Professor says. "And we'll do the same, professor." Joey says, giving him a thumbs up and a wink. The train pulls up to the station and the conductor shouts "All aboard!" They begin walking towards it.

"Pharaoh!" Yami hears from behind him and turns to see Rebecca. "I'm still mad at you for what you did to my Yugi." She begins. "But you just worry about getting him back now, okay?" she tells him. "Yes, Rebecca. We'll find a way to get him back." He tells her. "You better." She says. "Or else I'll never forgive you."

The Pharaoh smiles slightly. "Goodbye, Rebecca." He tells her. "No worries, Pharaoh!" Duke calls to him. "I'll make sure that she and the professor are well taken care of." He turns as Rebecca begins walking back. "Ouch!" he hears her say. "Sorry, it was an accident." He hears dryly in Alyssa's voice. He turns and sees Rebecca rubbing her arm.

"Did you?" he asks Alyssa as she catches up with him. "I did nothing, my Lord." She says, stepping into the train. "The suitcase did."


	20. Chapter 20

.:.The Pharaoh stands on the balcony of Alyssa's room, a staircase connected to it leading down into the palace courtyard. He glanced around, looking for her in the wide area. Finally he spotted her sitting on a bench surrounding one of the fountains. She had something in her hands and was evidently concentrating on it. He made his way to her as she was still oblivious to his presence. It wasn't until he was standing right next to her that she noticed he was there.

"My Lord." She said, bowing her head. "I'm sorry, I did not see you coming." "May I?" he said, gesturing to the seat beside her. "But of course." She said, working on what was in her hands. He spied it; it was a little wooden carving. It was tiny though, fitting within her hand. "What is that you have?" he asked her, interested.

"A thank you gift." She says, turning it over. Shocked he realized it was a small carving of himself, his cape blowing behind him, an arm on his waist and the other hanging down. He could see that it was finely detailed, it had the puzzle around his neck and even the little markings carved into it that were embossed in the bands of gold around his arms.

"It isn't finished." He said, referring to it's face. Other than the nose and mouth it was devoid of markings. She sighed. "I know. I was hoping to have it finished but ran into problems. Perhaps you can have someone else finish it for you." She tells him. "Problems? What problems? He asks her. It looks wonderful to me; just you haven't put in my eyes."

"That's because I don't know what they look like, my Pharaoh." She tells him, passing it into his palms. He turns it over marveling at the detail. She laughed. "You should have seen how they looked at me when I asked if they had a carver's knife and a small block of spare wood that no one was using. But they ended up finding some, so I started on this." She says.

The Pharaoh handed the small statue back to her. "I want you to finish it." He says. "But, my Lord," she began. "You are allowed to look at my eyes." He said. "In fact, I'd rather wish you would." She hesitates. "Then I'll have it finished for you, my, Lord." She says.

"I was talking with your mother last night." He told her. "She told me." She says. "I must thank you for being so kind to her. You've done so much for us and I've barely anything to give to you." She says, playing with the small carving in her hands. "You've given me more than you think." He thinks to himself, brushing back her hair so that he could see her face. She sighed and I seemed that she wanted his hand to linger there, but he figured he was just imagining things and withdrew his hand.

Alyssa sighed inwardly. She was hopeless, she told herself as she sketched the eyes into the three dimensional portrait f the Pharaoh. She carved in the eyes, she'd been looking as he'd been looking away. She longed to stare into his eyes, his beautiful eyes, and become lost in them. But she figured she was imagining things, and averted her eyes back to the small statue in her hands.

"Hey, Pharaoh!" Yami heard from above and looked up to see a band of his friends. "Well, it appears tat I have some business I need to attend to." He says to her. "Then I shall see you later." She says. "You needn't worry about tonight. I Want you to rest." He says. "Until later." He tells her. "Until later," she repeats and hands him the wooden statue. "I thought you were going to finish it?" he asked her. "I did." Se said, and he turned it over in his hands.

She had; he hadn't noticed that she'd been looking. Mirrored back at him he saw his own eyes, their determination, worries, wishes and longings. "You bring dead things to life." He murmurs as he sees himself in the statue. "Pleasure in the work puts perfection in the product, my Lord." She reminds him. "I believe your friends are beginning to become slightly impatient. I hope to see you later, my King."

.:. The group was quiet as they sat in a booth on the train. On one side rested Joey and Tristan, the other Tea, Alyssa and Yami had squished in. Eventually Joey and Tristan began playing some kind of game the others had never heard of.

Tea glanced over at the Pharaoh, who was looking out the window. _"He hasn't said a word all day."_ She thought. "So, have you ever been to Florida before?" she asked him. Her effort was in vain though, and he remained silent. "I can't wait to get there." She tried again. "I just love the beach, don't you?" Again, silence. _"Hmm…"_ she thought to herself. "Achoo!" she said, fake sneezing. The Pharaoh merely sat there. "_Jerk._" She thought to herself.

The Pharaoh sighed and scooted out of the booth, walking towards the small area where they had entered onto the train. He closed the door behind him and slumped up against the wall before sliding down.

"Poor Pharaoh." Tea says. "He feels so horrible." "Perhaps I might be able to talk to him." Alyssa sys, getting up from the booth herself and walking towards the door. Knocking lightly, she opens the door a crack. "Pharaoh, may I come in?" she asks softly. He merely sighs and she enters, taking care to close the door behind her. She sits next to him against the wall.

"How are you feeling?" she asks awkwardly, not knowing what to say now that she was there. "How do you think?" he returns, sharply. "I'm sorry, my Lord." She says, saddened and hurt at his tone. She stood to leave. "_Perhaps later._" She told herself, opening the door.

"No…Alyssa. Stay, please." The Pharaoh said to her, sighing. "I shouldn't be so terse with you. It's not your fault. Please, sit." He tells her. "Yes, my Lord." She says, taking care to sit indian-style and slightly away from him this time, showing her acknowledgment of his authority.

The Pharaoh noticed and inwardly kicked himself again. Every time she seemed ready to open up with him he did something to close her away again. At this rate she'd never relax when he was around. He sighed again as she remained quiet, waiting for him to start whatever conversation they might have. He looked over at her and could see the shutters going up in her eyes, walling herself in so that she wouldn't irritate him further.

"Angry. Hurt. Frustrated." He said. "Disappointed, in myself that I could let something like this happen." He continued. "Everyone makes mistakes." She offered. "But something like this?" the Pharaoh says. "Yugi…I promised him I wouldn't play that card. I promised him. And then I let him down. I broke that promise to my closest friend, my partner."

"It wasn't you, Pharaoh." She said to him, scooting over a little, careful. "I'm sure that the Seal was already casting its influence over you. You played the card with good intentions. You didn't want to steal his soul, just release Timeaus. Unfortunately a few things happened along the way."

"Heh." The Pharaoh said. "A few things ended up being a big thing." He said. "You'll get him back." She says, quietly. "I know you will." "Like you knew something bad was going to happen?" he asks her, acknowledging the occurrence. "Please, Pharaoh, I wasn't thinking straight." She said, and he could see the hurt in her eyes. "It was just my imagination most likely, after seeing what had happened before. Forgive me for my outburst, I beg of you."

"But you were right." The Pharaoh says. "Mere coincidence." She tells him, looking away as he tries to meet her eyes. He notices her glancing at her arm. "Come here." He says, noticing a scratch.

Warily she gets up and sits next to him as she did before. The Pharaoh takes her arm and pushes up the short sleeve of her red jacket. Along her arm he can see scratches, some larger than others. They continue down to her exposed leg, a small gash near her knee. "Did I do that?" he whispers. "No, you didn't." she tells him, pulling her arm away. "Just the results of a few daily occurrences." She lies, not wanting to tell him the truth.

"I'm sorry." He says, frozen. "I didn't realize what I was doing. You tried to stop me, tried to help me, and I threw you down." "You weren't yourself, my King." She says, moving away. "It's not your fault."

"But it is." He said. "I apologize." "There's no need." She states. "There are quite a few needs" he says, taking hold of her arm once more and effectively stopping her from shifting away. "Just forget it," she tells him, stopping her futile attempt to put some distance between the two of them.

The Pharaoh sighs. "Alyssa" he asks her after a moment. "There's a question I've been wanting to ask you for a while." He begins. "You may ask me anything you wish, my Pharaoh." She says to him. "Of the few people I know that are from the past, you are the only one that holds your own body. Why?" he asks her. "I'm afraid I don't understand." She tells him confused. "I share this body with Yugi. Someone else I know shares a body with someone else. Why do you have your own, and do not share with another?"

"Oh." She says. "That." "Yes, that." The Pharaoh says. "To be honest, I really don't know why. I'm still not too sure about how I even got here." She says. "The memories of my returning to the world…they are foggy, and unclear."

"What is there that you remember?" The Pharaoh asked, interested. "I'm not sure." She starts. "I remember…everything was dark, for so long. And I couldn't seem to move. Well, I could, but I was trapped somewhere. I don't know how." She says. The Pharaoh thinks of how it was for him being in the millennium puzzle. "It was similar for me." He tells her. "But continue."

"Then all of a sudden I was floating. I wasn't sure where, or when, or why. But I was. There were so many lights below me, so many people. I was in awe and I was afraid. I didn't know what was going on. Something was pulling me towards one of the buildings though, a tall white one. I remember I had never seen anything like these buildings before. Everything looked so different."

"I went through the walls and was floating above this body. It was hurt, badly. I could hear people shouting things to another and loud noises all around me. I couldn't understand what they were saying though, it was in some strange tongue I'd never heard of before. Something happened and the actions of the people below became more frantic, and I saw someone else float out, just like me."

"Then there was another voice, a strong but gentle one. Would you laugh if I said it reminds me of your own? But it told me 'Go', and I didn't want to. I was afraid; I didn't know what would happen if I did. That's not my body, I told the voice. That's not my body. That's not my body."

"Go, it told me again, and I felt some warm wave, as if a warm summer breeze was gently pushing me into the frame. I resisted at first, but gave in. I saw someone smile at me and then wave off. And then everything was dark again, and I was alone."

"I woke up after what seemed forever. I couldn't believe it, everything around me was so different. A nurse came screaming into the room and gave me a big hug. Apparently I'd been sleeping for months. She told me that I had been in an accident, that the damage had been so bad they couldn't even identify who I was. I heard her, herad that what she was speaking wasn't my native language, but for some reason I understood it. Egyptian…I couldn't recall a word of it, but I knew that wasn't what I was using now. I said I was Alyssa, and asked her where I was. She told me the name of the building, which ended up being the name of a hospital. I was stunned, and told her I had to be going home. She said not to worry, that I could go home as soon as we knew where home was"

"I was explaining it in terms of the river, as I had always done. She looked at me confused. 'Where do you think you are?' she asked me. 'In Egypt, of course.' I told her. She laughed and shook her head. 'No, you're in Japan.' She said, and opened up hospital curtains. Again I saw the lights and people, and I gasped. I had no idea what was going on. Japan? What was Japan? And what do you mean this year is two thousand something? It's only the second season. What? What do you mean no, our years have numbers? I was so confused. They began teaching me, from what they called Kindergarten books. I learned quickly, they said, but they were curious why I could remember nothing. They told me I had amnesia, but that amnesia isn't supposed to hurt learned behaviors and such things."

She laughed. "I remember, they used to let me walk around. I went to the nurses station once and they were showing me how to make popcorn. I didn't even know how to use a microwave then. I was looking around for where the fire was. They laughed and pointed me at the microwave, putting in the package for me. I watched as it spun around in circles and jumped backwards. They laughed then, telling me later that I claimed the machine was trying to 'eat me.' It finally finished and I could smell the food. Being hungry, I asked them how to get it. They told me to just push the button. I did, and not realizing that the door would open then it shot out and caught me in my nose." At this the Pharaoh also chuckled. "Not easy being thrown into a new world, eh?" he asked. "No, not at all." She said with a smile.

"I eventually started picking things up on life in this time. I found out what the form of money was, found out I didn't have it, and found out that everyone wanted it. I only knew my first name, and all identifying marks had been wiped out in the accident that brought the original owner of this body to that hospital. They couldn't give me a last name, and wouldn't issue me a birth certificate, which apparently you need to apply for jobs. That's another reason why I could never get one." Se said. "Why didn't you go to the courts?" the Pharaoh asked her. "They could give you one if you needed it." "I tried. It never went through. I don't know why. I just seem to have bad luck with that kind of thing." She says.

"Very interesting." The Pharaoh told her. She laughed. "I'm sure. Was it so easy for you then, my Pharaoh?" "Well, I joined with Yugi. I was able to glean things from his mind, so yes, I'd say it was easy. He knew what was going on, so I did too." The Pharaoh sighed again, remembering his friend's position. "We'll get him back, my Lord." She repeated again, giving the Pharaoh's hand a reassuring squeeze.

His heart swelled inside from the small gesture and he held onto her hand, just sitting there. For a minute they sat like that and afterwards stood, reentering to join with their group. They were walking back when the Pharaoh noticed something.

"Wasn't this train full of people when we got on?" he asked. "Yes, why?" Tea says. "Oh!" she cries, noticing the now empty train. "You don't think we missed our stop, do ya?" Joey asks. "No, it's nowhere near long enough." Tea says. "Let's go and check on the conductor." Tristan says, and they begin making there way to the front of the train. They make it through the first few cars without any problems, but the train jolts hard.

The Pharaoh steps across the way, waiting for his friends on the other side. "The pin!" Joey shouts, and they all look down. During the bump it had somehow become dislodged, and the two parts of the train were steadily growing farther apart.

"Jump!" Yami shouts to Tea, as she does. He reaches an arm out to catch her and keep her from falling backwards. Looking across the gap between trains is very wide. "We'll never make it!" Joey shouts across the way. "Move!" Alyssa shouts, a feeling of desperation holding on to her, as she repeats her earlier feat and tries to jump the distance. The Pharaoh extends his arm and pulls her in, but it causes all three of them to fall down backwards.

"Joey! Tristan!" he Pharaoh shouts as he sees their car slow to a stop behind them, their own car still moving as it is connected to the engine still.  
"What do we do now?" Tea asks as they try the next door, only to find it locked. Now needing to stop the train so that their friends might have some chance of catching up to them, they rush to the back of the train. "We'll have to go over." The Pharaoh says, taking hold of the rungs. "You stay here. It's too dangerous." "What are you, nuts?" they say at the same time. "You're not going up there alone, Pharaoh." Tea says. "All for one and one for all." Alyssa quotes, the motto of the Three Musketeers. The Pharaoh smiles. "Very well then." He says. "Tea, you go first."

Tea climbs up the ladder to the top, the Pharaoh spotting her should she fall. Alyssa goes next after much argument and the Pharaoh fallows last. At the top they are greeted with the face that had watched the duel between the Pharaoh and Raphael. "Hello, Yugi." Weevil says. "Or should I say, Pharaoh?"

"Weevil Underwood." The Pharaoh says. "I haven't the time to deal with you right now. Get out of my way." He says. "Not so fast, Pharaoh." Weevil taunts him, pushing up his glasses. "First we are going to have a little duel."

.:.Evening fell in Egypt and the Pharaoh was in his room with his buddies, sitting on a chair. His friends were sprawled out around him, some on the bed, some on other chairs and assorted furniture around the room. His advisor stood next to him, as he always did.

In his hands the Pharaoh fingered the wooden carving that he'd received earlier that morning. He looked at the effort put into it, as he traced the markings on the bands the figure wore. He was so intent he did not hear his consultant call his name. "Atemu…Atemu…PHARAOH!" Siamun yells. "Hmm? What? Oh…" the Pharaoh says, jolting upright. "Sorry, I wasn't paying attention." He says sheepishly. "What is it you were saying?" Siamun sighs. "I was saying we ought to have that one room fixed. You could use it to…PHARAOH!" he shouts, noticing that the youth is slipping away into his own world again. "Hmm? YES! Yes, I'll have it fixed." He says. Returning his gaze to the figure he just stares at it. Siamun sighs. "Just go." He tells the Pharaoh. "What?" Yami says, looking up at him quickly. "Oh, come on now. You've been looking at that thing all day. Just go and check on her already, will you?" His advisor laughs as he sees the Pharaoh pondering this. "This can wait a little longer. Go and have some fun." He encourages him.

"Yami's got a chick!" one of his pals says as he gets up to leave. He picks up one of the nearby pillows and tosses it at him, hitting his friend in the head as he laughs. "Oh hush." He tells him, and exits.

He walks to her room and is informed by her mother that she has gone out to the courtyard again. So, he steps onto her balcony, looking for her. This time she is at the edge of one of the gardens, near another fountain, and is playing with a stray cat. She has her flute in hand and begins dancing around the cat as it follows her, a bright tune. She comes to the end and kneels down, the cat rubbing against her legs. She pets it and laughs as it bats at a butterfly trying to catch it and hops off.

The Pharaoh comes up from behind her without her noticing and claps his hands. She gasps and turns. "My Lord," she begins, kneeling in front of him again, but he stops her half way down." "I really wish you wouldn't do that." He chides her again. "I apologize then. I shall have to work on it." She tells him. He sighs and takes hold of her flute. "I did not know you could play this as well." he says. "You never asked." She tells him, blowing a few notes on it. "I've played since I was little."

"Well, at least I know what to do with this one" he says. "You know how to play, my Lord?" she asks him. "Would you care to try on mine?" she says, offering it to him. "I don't have to swivel anything and put my hands in certain places, do I?" he jokes recalling his attempt with her shell. "No, it is a normal flute, my Lord, like any other." She tells him. He plays a few bars on the instrument and stops. "Well done, my King." She says, offering him a small round of applause. "That wasn't bad." "I haven't played the flute in a long time," the Pharaoh said. "I myself am happy."

"And I am happy that you are happy." She says, taking her flute back. "You are fond of saying that." He tells her. "It's only the truth." She says.

She sits and plays a few light bars on her flute before placing it in her lap as the Pharaoh sits next to her. "I've been meaning to ask you this for a while." He asks her. "You may ask me anything you wish, my King." She says. "How come you didn't ask for help?" he says softly. Though he already knew the answer, he wanted to hear it from her. "I did not want to trouble you, my Lord." She says, and looks away. "Is that the truth?" he asks her gently. She sighs and hesitates.

"Life does not give out honey to everyone, my Lord, or else we would not know how fine the honey is." She explains. He did not know if she was aware that the pleasant fragrance of sweet honey seemed to emanate from her skin or if it was merely a coincidence. She certainly didn't look like she knew. "I…I have not always had the best of times." She explains. "In the past when I have needed aid, even when it was promised to me, it was never there. I guess I was worried that I'd once more ask and be disappointed." She says, rolling her flute in her hands. "You needn't worry about that here." The Pharaoh says. "Such thoughts are silly."

"If you knew a few other things, such thoughts would not be as silly as they seem." She tells him, looking away. He pulled her into a hug and rested his chin on top of her head for a moment. "You'll never need to worry about that here." He says again. "Thank you." She whispers, and for a bit they sit there. She pulls away, however, and the Pharaoh releases her, inwardly sighing again. "I'm sorry, my Lord." She says, red again and he could hear her voice shaking. "I didn't mean to pass my burdens onto you."

"_But I want to take them"_ he admitted to himself. _"I want to take them, and kiss them all away."_ She looked awkward, like she didn't know what she should do. "It's getting late." He said, fumbling for the right thing to say. "Yes, it is. Perhaps I should be getting to bed." She says, looking at the stars. "And I should be getting back to my own." He says.

"Then I wish you goodnight," she says, beginning to bow, but stopping herself remembering his earlier words. "I hear you still have trouble finding your way." He teases her. "Shall I show you back?" "Oh no, I'm fine really." She tells him. "I still become confused, you are right, but I hung a flower off my balcony steps. All I need to do is find the flower and I know which stairs are mine."

He laughs as he spies the solitary flower dangling from a rope on one of the stairs. "I guess that's true. But if someone were to remove that?" "Then I would be utterly lost." She admits, nodding her head as she watches the flower blow in the breeze. The Pharaoh eyes the flower and the rope snaps.

"Oh!" she says. "Well, at least I know where it was, so I'm alright." She reassures herself. "But if I were to spin you around three times fast?" he questions. "Well then I believe I'd have to accept your invitation." She laughs. "Why, do you plan on doing so?" "Maybe" he says, happy that she has lightened a bit. "Or you could just agree to walk with me now." He says, extending a hand for her own.

She hesitates again, seeing it outstretched. "_Oh go on."_ Her mind tells her as she reaches out and accepts. They begin walking and the Pharaoh points out a few ways that she might be able to guide herself. She rests her head on his shoulder momentarily, and wishes that she could let it lay there for always. Her hand felt so small in his, and so much like it belonged.

They reached the entrance to her suite and he released her hand. "Here you are." He said, looking down at her. "Thank you," she says, and turns towards the door. "Will I be coming to your room to play for you tomorrow?" she asks him. "Yes. And I'll thank you for reminding me of something else. I'm having a small dinner with a few friends. I was hoping that you would play for us then." He asks her.

"I will always be glad to play for you." She says. "Then it is the night after tomorrow." He informs her. "Have you a specific song you would like me to play?" she asks him and he thinks a moment. "The first one." He says. "The one I heard you playing that night outside. It has always been my favorite."

"Then I shall make sure I practice it to perfection." She tells him. "Goodnight, my Pharaoh. I'll see you tomorrow." "Goodnight." He says as she enters, and thinks to himself _"You already have."_

He returns to his own room and finds himself tackled by his wave of friends. Laughing he pushes them off as they bombard him with questions, some of which the Pharaoh himself isn't sure of the answers.


	21. Chapter 21

.:."I haven't the time for this, Weevil." The Pharaoh says to him. "But you have the time to lose your friends soul?" Weevil asks him. "That's none of your business." The Pharaoh shouts. "Oh really? Well, I have a little bit of information that you might like to hear." He says, pushing up his glasses. "Which makes it exactly my business." "What is it?" The Pharaoh asks him. "Aw, come on. You're being so rude and yet you expect me to help you?" he says. "Weevil!" The Pharaoh roars. "I'll tell you if you defeat me in a duel, _Pharaoh_." He says sarcastically.

Yami pauses a moment before extending his arm and activating his duel disk. "Be careful Pharaoh!" Tea calls to him. "Don't worry, I'm not falling for any tricks again." He tells her. "I'll go first." Weevil says, and draws his cards. "Hmm…" he says. "I'll play this one, and then these two face down." He says as a wormish monster appears on the field and then two cards face down are played. "Well then, I'll summon my Celtic Guardian." The Pharaoh says, "And next I'll summon my Swordsman." He places two cards on his duel disk. "Celtic Guardian, attack!" he shouts, "Ah ah ah, Pharaoh." Weevil says. "I knew you would do that. Reveal face down card." He holds out his hand and one of the cards stands up. "This card will transform your Celtic Guardian into a cocoon for three turns. Just wait until you see what comes out." He says, laughing mischievously.

"I place one card face down and end my turn." The Pharaoh says. "Alright, I'm up next. Attack!" he tells his one monster. "What?" the Pharaoh shouts as the worm comes right up to his duel disk and saps some of his life points. "Oh, did I forget? My monster's special ability allows it to bypass your monsters and head straight for your life points. So why don't I just summon up another one?" he says, and another appears on the field. "Luckily for you, it can't attack this turn. So I'll just save this for later." He says, putting another card face down, "And end my turn."

The Pharaoh plays a few more cards. "And now I'll use my polymerization to transform them into Kaimera, king of Mythical Beasts."

"Oh, I'm so scared." Weevil says. "You should be." The Pharaoh says. "Attack!" he destroys one of Weevil's monsters. "Parasite!" Weevil shouts at his next turn. "This is a card that, so long as there is a bug on your side of the field, infects your deck, causing all your cards to turn into partial bugs."

"I don't have any bug cards." The Pharaoh says. "But that cocoon is a bug." Weevil says, smiling. "And next I'll play Insect Barrier! As long as this card is in play, no bug can attack me." _"Drat!"_ The Pharaoh thinks. "You can do it, Pharaoh!" Tea shouts to him from the side of the field. "Squash those bugs!" "He has a stronger deck now." He tells her.

"You haven't any idea yet. Now I'll play the Seal of Orycalcos!" he shouts, as the seal falls onto the playing field. Tea and Alyssa are tossed back as it, well seals in the participants of the duel. Weevil laughs, his eyes evil and red from the power of the Orycalcos.

"Now, I'll sacrifice all of my monsters to summon the bug queen." He says. "But you need three for that." The Pharaoh says. "That's why I'm sending one from my hand directly into the graveyard." Weevil tells him as the giant bug appears. "And don't forget, after this next turn my cocoon will hatch."

The Pharaoh grits his teeth. "Poor Pharaoh." Weevil jeers from the other side. "Without Yugi to help you you're nothing."

"That's not true!" Alyssa shouts. "And you'll take it back or I'll do worse than any seal can do to you!" she shouts. "I'd like to see you try." He tells her as she takes a step forward. "Don't waste your time on him." Tea says, holding onto her arm. "It's not like you could get through the seal to pummel him right now anyway. You'll have to wait until he's done." Alyssa sulkily returns to her place by Tea. "Then we'll pummel him." Tea says, and they laugh.

They watch as the cocoon glows brightly, as what appears to be a large moth comes out. It retains two thousand attack points, and is stronger than the Celtic Guardian was. "Why would Weevil give me a stronger monster?" The Pharaoh questions.

"Meet Poison Butterfly." Weevil tells them. "She's beautiful, isn't she?" he asks. _"His bug queen is still too strong for it. Not to mention his Insect Barrier." _He thinks to himself. "I end my turn." The Pharaoh says. Unexpectedly his life points drop by five hundred. "Oh, I forgot to mention." Weevil goes on from the other side of the field. "Each turn you lose five hundred life points. My little present isn't a problem, is it Pharaoh?" he sneers.

The Pharaoh just remains quiet as Weevil sorts through his cards. "Seeing as how you won't be around much longer," he tells the Pharaoh, eyeing his life point counter. "Perhaps I should tell you that little bit of information now." "Tell me." The Pharaoh says, narrowing his eyes. "You didn't say please." Weevil says, shaking a finger at him. "Please." The Pharaoh says.

"Alright then." Weevil says. "In a special room, there are tablets full of souls. On one of them is Yugi. To get him out you need a special card, which I just so happen to hold in my pocket." He says, withdrawing a card. "Give it to me!" The Pharaoh shouts. "You'll have to come and get it." Weevil says, waving it in front of him. The Pharaoh walks halfway to the other side when Weevil takes the card in his hand. "Say goodbye to Yugi." He says evilly, and rips the card in two. "No!" The Pharaoh shouts, his eyes wide. "Yugi!"

"That's what you get for ruining my life." Weevil shouts angrily at the Pharaoh. "I was a champion, famous, but no one even wanted to talk to me after a rookie took me out in the first round of Duelist Kingdom. I was famous, and now I'm only forgotten."

The Pharaoh merely stands there, shocked. "How am I going to get Yugi back now?" he says. "Are you still thinking about that? Come on now, Pharaoh. Don't be ridiculous." Weevil says. "What?" The Pharaoh asks, looking at him. "That was a worthless bug card. Don't be such a fool." "You tricked me." The Pharaoh says. "You'll pay for that." He says as he sets his eyes and returns to his side of the field.

"I'm sure." Weevil says as he withdraws another card from his deck. "Now then, I believe it's my turn."

Meanwhile, Tristan and Joey were in the midst of their own duel. "I'm gonna take you down, Wheeler." Rex said to him from across the field, his own forehead burning with the symbol of the Orycalcos as one of his dinosaurs stomped a card of Joey's into ruin. "What're you, nuts?" Joey says, taking a card from his own deck as it was now his turn. "Crush him, Joey!" Tristan shouted to him. "Don't screw this up or you're a goner man!"

"It's so nice to have some encouragement. Thanks." He said dryly to Tristan. "Kinda wish Tea were here, even if she always is making those speeches." "What is that supposed to mean?" Tristan asks him. "It means she knows how to cheer people on and you should take a lesson, ya dope!" he yells back.

"Hey, pay attention here!" Rex yells at him. "You can just wait a second punk." Joey tells him. "No, no more." Rex said. "I've been waiting long enough for my fame to return to me, the fame you stole when you beat me, a seasoned duelist, and stole my dragon!"

"I didn't steal your dragon." Joey says. "I won it fair and square." "Yeah, right." Rex says. "Whaddya know, my Red eyes Black Dragon." Joey says, throwing the card onto his duel disk. "You've got a lot of nerve to use that card on me." Rex says from the other side of the field. "It's not your card anymore Rex." Joey tells him. "Attack, my Red Eyes!" The Red Eyes Black Dragon goes to the other side of the field, destroying one of Rex's monsters.

"Now let's stop this duel, alright? Before somebody gets hurt." Joey says. "No!" Rex shouts angrily. "Is this really worth losing your soul over?" Joey says gesturing around him. "I'm not losing anything! It's you who should be worried!" Rex shouts. "Go!" he says, pointing a finger at one of Joey's other monsters, and his dino trots off to destroy it.

"You're not gonna win this, Rex." Joey says, shaking his head as he draws some more cards. "Can't you see what a mistake you're making?" 'Just be quiet and play your cards." Rex says, clenching his fists at his sides and shaking with anger.

"Alright then" Joey says, selecting a card. "Here we go." He says, and slaps it onto his disk.

"Now, attack his Insect Barrier!" Yami calls, and his monster destroys the card. "WHAT?" weevil shouts. "My swordsman has the special ability to destroy one magic or trap card. He may lose some attack points, but it's well worth the price." He says, as his swordsman's points fall to fifteen hundred. "I'll place this facedown," he says, "And end my turn." His life points drop dangerously low as the Poison Butterfly saps five hundred more.

"Grr…" Weevil shouts, as he plays a weak monster in defense mode. How did he go so quickly from being on top to not having any monsters at all on the field. "Attack his monster, poison butterfly!" the Pharaoh shouts, as the monster Weevil had placed on his side of the field. Now Weevil was open, nothing standing in the Pharaoh's way.

"I'm still in this, Pharaoh!" he shouts. "Even if your monster attacks my life points directly, I'll still have plenty left." "Maybe, maybe not." The Pharaoh says. "For this magic card allows me to draw cards from my deck. If it is a monster card I am allowed to attack, so long as the monster I use has fifteen hundred attack points or less, and I am not to stop until I draw a magic or trap card." He says. Weevil's mind echoes back to what the Pharaoh had said only moments before. _"My swordsman has the special ability to destroy one magic or trap card. He may lose some attack points, but it's well worth the price."_

"_He's been planning this all along."_ Weevil thought to himself, horrified. The Pharaoh takes the first card off his deck. "Oh look, a monster." He says. "Go, my swordsman! Attack his life points directly!" The monster leaps across the field and slashes at Weevil, decreasing his points. He draws another. "Another monster card." The Pharaoh says. "Attack him again!" Weevil takes another hit. "And again!" the Pharaoh shouts. "Once more!" he says, withdrawing yet another monster. "This just isn't your day." He says looking at his card as his monster goes forth to attack again. Weevil slumps to the ground, now unconscious. The Pharaoh draws again "Pharaoh, stop!" Tea calls, stepping in front of him. "It's over. You won the duel, so the Seal took Weevil away. He's gone now. You can stop."

"Yes." The Pharaoh says, glancing down at the card he had drawn. It was dark magician girl. "Up ahead" Alyssa shouts, as they see a curve on a bridge. "We're going too fast." Tea says. "We'll come off the rails!"

Quickly they look around, but there was no safe place to jump. Even if there was though it would be quite a risk at such a high velocity. "Everybody hang on" the Pharaoh says, as they brace themselves. The Car reaches the bend, and flips over, tossing it and it's passengers into the river far below.

"No!" Rex shouts, as he finds himself without defenses. "Please, don't!" he says to Joey. "I'm sorry Rex." Joey says to him. "I promised a friend I would help him. But don't worry; once I've gotten him out I'll help you too." He pauses. "Attack his life points directly!" he tells his monster, as it charges forth and depletes his adversary of their remaining life points.

"No!" Rex shouts as the Seal encloses around him and the strange green light comes and disappears, his soul leaving with it. Joey and Tristan run over to the unconscious body. They sigh. "It's a shame." Joey says, lifting him onto his back. "If only he wouldn't have played that card he'd still be here."

"Yeah." Tristan agrees. "What should we do now?" he asks. "We'll follow the tracks." Joey says. "Eventually we'll come to wherever Tea, Alyssa, and the Pharaoh are." "Right." Tristan nods, as they start off.

.:. Alyssa lay in her bed the next night, still thinking of how it had felt to be in the Pharaoh's arms the night before. She had seen him again today, and felt herself blushing even though all he said was to sleep well so that she would be rested for tomorrow.

But she couldn't sleep. All she could think about was how nice and warm it had been, how protected she'd felt. In those brief few moments she'd felt whole, happy, and secure. She sighed and rolled over, hugging one of the downy pillows to her. She was sure she was being ridiculous. She chided herself for her thoughts. But that didn't mean she'd stop thinking them.

Over and over she'd replayed the small scene in her head where he'd just all of a sudden taken her into him and spoken softly to her, assuring her that she would never be cast out, that she was no longer an outsider. She remembered his spicy scent and how it filled her entire being, the smell intoxicating her mind with dizziness and inflicting the worst case of butterflies she'd ever received. She'd wanted to stay there forever, but reminded herself that it was just her own wild thoughts. So she'd pulled away. He'd never think of her like that.

Still, it never hurt to dream she thought. And while she was alone she could not see any harm so she felt confident in allowing her mind to wander, her body to tingle and giggle when she would think of some imagined scene. She could feel her face blushing with the silliness of her thoughts, though she knew no one else could hear or see them. And in the end she always sighed contentedly as he would take her in his arms again, and it was on this thought that she fell asleep.

The Pharaoh lay in his own bed in his own chambers, awake himself. He too was having imagined thoughts and playful fantasies of what he might do if she would ever allow herself to be free with him. He recalled the touch of her skin on his, the smell of her hair. He thought of how small she'd felt as he held her, and how tiny her hand had seemed in his later on. He'd wanted to sit like that, holding her forever. She had pulled away though, so he let her be. He was sure that she would have preferred to remain in his arms, just as sure that she wouldn't at other times.

He remembered how his friends had joked when he'd told them they were all staying for dinner in two nights time. "Do we get to meet her then?" they'd asked him. "Well, you'll see her." He'd said, embarrassed. He didn't know how to talk about things like that. They'd teased him a little more and he'd brushed it off. In the end they'd all agreed and he wished them goodnight.

He'd thought then too, of how he felt. He was acknowledging to himself that he was falling fast for this girl he'd met not too long ago. How quickly things were changing. He sighed and turned over again. He wanted to lift her up and spin her around in the air, gently letting her down and kissing her neck, her face, her lips. He wanted to be able to joke with her and laugh with her without worrying that she was afraid. And he sighed again as the doubt came upon him, telling him that she would never want to do so. She was too scared.

This ongoing battle continued within him until he finally drifted off to sleep, dreaming of the one moment he'd held her when he was convinced she'd let him hold her forever.

Right before she'd broken away.

.:. "Pharaoh, no!" Yami heard in his dreams as he bolted upright. Looking around he was confused. He seemed to be in a tent. Tea was on one side, Alyssa on the other. He rubbed a hand over his face as he heard loud barking draw closer. Suddenly a massive dog was sitting on him.

"No, Skye!" he heard a little voice call as a small girl walked through the tent. "I'm sorry. He's very friendly. You don't need to be worried." The young girl said. "It's fine, I assure you." Yami said as the drooling animal licked the side of his face. He wiped it off and laughed, petting the dog on it's head. Next to him Tea woke up, but Alyssa continued sleeping.

"I'm sorry she woke you." The young girl said. "Come on, Skye." And called the dog out of the tent. "Grandpa wanted to know when you were up. I guess I'll tell him now." She says smiling.

"Well well." an old man said, bending over and picking up a duel masters card. "I haven't seen you in a long time." He said to it. "Though I can't say I'm surprised." He adds. "Grandpa!" he hears and straightens up. "I see you woke up." He nods to the trio, Alyssa still rubbing some sleep from her eyes. She'd been woken up as they were leaving so that she knew where they'd be, but had insisted on coming with. "Yes, thank you for your hospitality." He says to the man.

"It was nothing, I assure you." The man says. "And I believe these belong to you." He says, handing the deck of cards to the Pharaoh, Timeaus card on top. The Pharaoh sighed. "I don't think I much deserve this one right now." He said, looking at the card. "Perhaps it would be best if it were in other hands." He says handing it back to the man.

"Come now, Pharaoh. You can't think like that." The man tells him, taking the card. "How do you know who I am?" the Pharaoh asked, catching the piece of information. "Grandpa knows a lot of things." The little girl says. "It has been foretold of your doings to help save both worlds, Pharaoh." The man tells him. "It is no secret to our folk."

"And that would be?" he asks. "I am Greybeard." He tells him. "This is my granddaughter Chris, and our faithful companion Skye." Skye barked at the mention of his name. "Have you seen another kid around here? Blue hair, and big glasses?" Tea asked. The man shook his head. "No, I'm afraid not. I only found you three." He said. "In the water maybe?" she asks him. "No, just you three. I'm sorry."

They sigh. "You look as if something is troubling you, my young man. Is there something on your mind?" he asks the Pharaoh. Yami laughs. "If you know who I am, then you know I'm certainly not very young. But yes, I'm afraid I've lost a close friend and I'm trying to find him."

"Knowing that you should know not all things are as they appear, Pharaoh." He says. "But if you are looking for your friend, I may know a place that he could be." "In the circle?" his granddaughter asks as he nods. "Yes." "Pardon me, but what is the great circle?" Tea asks. "It's a pace where those of our tribe believe you can find the lost souls of others. If, of course, they are there.

"Where would this be?" "I shall show you if you wish." Greybeard says. "Yes, please." He tells him. Greybeard extends out the hand with Timeaus's card in it. "I think you'll be wanting this back." He says. "Not just yet." The Pharaoh says, shaking his head. "Then I will hold onto it for you." Greybeard says, and puts it away in his coat pocket. "Merely ask and I will return it to you. It must one day return to its proper owner."

"I understand." Yami says, sighing. "But I don't think I'm worthy to hold that card right now. Hold on to it just a bit longer for me." Greybeard nods and starts off, the others following him. Eventually they reach the top of a peak. Down below they can see stone formations scattered around the odd circle or circles really.

"Down there you might be able to find your friend." Greybeard says to the Pharaoh. "Then let's go!" Tea says. 'Only the Pharaoh may go." Greybeard says, holding onto Tea's arm. "But…why?" she asks. "Only one soul is allowed to enter the circle at a time, or the evil and restless spirits that are unhappy will consume you and trap you within the circle as well."

"Oh." She said. "Then perhaps we should stay up here." Tea says. "I'll be back soon." The Pharaoh says as he starts off down the slope. "Pharaoh!" Alyssa yells. "What is it?" he asks, turning to face her. "I'm afraid you can not come with me this time, Alyssa. You wouldn't want me to be trapped by restless spirits now, would you?" he jests. "Of course not." She says. "I was just going to say…be careful." He nods at her. "Don't worry. I will be."

"Why, remind me, are we dragging this guy who wants to kill us all over creation?" Joey asks as he and Joey lay down on the ground, Rex's unconscious body, still with them. "Because we're nice guys." Tristan says. "And last time I checked, it was your turn to be nice."

"Hey, why am I carrying him?" Joey shouts as he stands up, holding Rex on his back Piggyback style. "'Cause it' your turn man." Tristan says. "Come on! If we get to town I'll buy you a pepperoni pizza."

"Pepp…eroni…pizza." Joey says imagining a steaming pizza fresh out of the over. "Hey, wait for me!" he shouts, and runs to catch up with Tristan.

The Pharaoh walks through the circles, an eerie calm about him. On the way he sees some black forms take shape, but he merely says "Let me by" and they dissipate. Continuing deeper into the circles he sees the souls of Rex and Weevil, both grinning at him evilly. He passes by though, finally reaching the smallest circle in the center.

"Yugi…if you're hear, please…show yourself to me." Suddenly there is a mass of swirling spirits around him, the mass darkening and thinning into a spiral. Then, there stands Yugi.

"Yugi!" the Pharaoh shouts. "I've found you!" "Hi, Yami." He says. "I'm so sorry, Yugi." The Pharaoh apologizes to him. "I let my darkness take control of me and you ended up paying the price. Can you ever forgive me?" he asks him. "I don't know." Yugi says. "It's so horrible here. There's nothing to do, and I can't leave. It should be you stuck here, Pharaoh, not me."

"Yugi…" the Pharaoh says feeling as if an arrow had pierced his heart. "I said I'm sorry, I-" "Sorry doesn't cut it this time, Pharaoh." Yugi says, glaring at him. "You promised me you wouldn't play that card and you did. And now I'm the one stuck here." He says downcast. "Yugi, I would trade places with you if I could. If I could go back in time I never would have done that again, I-" "It's a little too late for that, _Pharaoh._" Yugi says to him, cutting him off again. "What?" Yami says, shocked. "It's time you took responsibility for your own actions. If I'm going to be in here then so are you. Duel me, and prove that you're a man." He shouts, as his ghostly duel disk activates and suddenly they are playing a game of duel monsters. "Yugi…" Yami begins. "That's not what I meant, I-" "So now you're taking back what you said before, huh? Now that you might actually be in here like me." "That's not it at all." The Pharaoh says. "Then duel me!" Yugi says. "Yugi this isn't like you," the Pharaoh begins. "There is no more me thanks to you Pharaoh! Now draw your cards and we'll end this right now."

Frustrated, the Pharaoh does as his partner asks. "I'll start." Yugi says from across the field. "I'll play these cards facedown, and play my Celtic Guardian in attack mode." He says, placing the cards in their appropriate places. Looking at his own hand Yami starts as he notices something. "Do these look familiar? Gazelle, Berfomat, and polymerization?" "I don't know what you are talking about." Yugi says across the way, his eyes narrowed at the Pharaoh. Yami plays his three cards. "Kaimara, attack his facedown monster!" Yami says. An image of Gazelle is shattered into thousands of pieces as the card is destroyed. "Yugi, we are playing with the same hands!" he tells him.

"Not for long, Pharaoh." Yugi says. "For this card." He says, showing it to the Pharaoh. "Allows me to throw my current hand into the graveyard and accept six new cards." He deposits his remaining cards into the slot for the graveyards in his disk and pulls out a new set. "What's the matter, Pharaoh?" Yugi asks him. "Disappointed that you can't cheat anymore?" "I wasn't-" "Save it Pharaoh!" Yugi yells. "The Seal of Orycalcos!" he calls as he plays the card. The familiar ring surrounds them.

"Yugi…" Yami says as the Seal locks them in. "I told you you are going to be staying with me." He says. "And I don't go back on my word."

Joey was walking, or staggering more like it, as he followed Tristan down the tracks. "When is it your turn to haul this lug?" he asked him. "Not yet. I think you've still got another hour left." "That's what you said anhour ago." Joey complains to him. "Yep. And I'm saying it again." Tristan says as Joey plods on after him.

"Arg…I wanna just leave him right here." He says, looking off to the side. "You're the one that promised we should take care of him." Tristan says. "Aye…don't remind me." Joey mutters as they continue walking.

"And now, to finish you off." Yugi shouts to Yami across the way. "Attack his life points directly!" "_I can't lose him again."_ The Pharaoh thinks to himself. Just before the attack hits, he shouts, "I can't let you do this to the world, Yugi. Reveal face down card. Divine Wind!" The Pharaoh shouts as it sweeps up and reflects the attack back at the originator. "He did it." Yugi says, smiling. "He won the duel."

Yugi is knocked back from the attack and lays on the ground, unmoving. "Oh no." the Pharaoh thinks. "What have I done? Yugi!" he shouts, running over to him, lifting him up. "Yugi, I'm sorry." He says to him. "Congratulations, Pharaoh. You won the duel. I knew you could do it." He says to him. "What?" the Pharaoh asks, confused, as he looks into his partner's face. "By defeating me you were able to defeat the darkness within your heart. You're free, Yami." "But Yugi-" "Don't forget, I'm always with you." Yugi says, broken, before scattering into hundreds of colorful bubbles blown away by the wind, before disappearing.

The Pharaoh sits for a moment, watching the bubbles as tears come to his eyes. He bangs his fist against the ground. "It should have been me." He shouts. "It should have been _me!_ "


	22. Chapter 22

.:. Alyssa rushes towards the dining hall, late for her performance. She'd been playing in the courtyard again today and had forgotten until just a few minutes ago. She finally found the room after looking for it for another five minutes and entered.

"Here she is." Yami announced to his guests as she peeped through the doorway. "Uh…hi…" she said nervously to the rest of them. Bowing her head politely she began to explain, " I was in the courtyard and I'm afraid I lost track of time." She started, her mouth dry. "I apologize."

"You are here now and that is all that matters." The Pharaoh told her. "Better late than never." He said. "I'm not so sure." She replied. "At least, in my haste to get here I'm afraid I never returned for my shell…" she says, her voice growing quieter as she grew redder. "If you'll give me but a few minutes I can retrieve it."

"Nonsense" the Pharaoh says. "I see you have your flute, and I know you are skilled at that. Would you mind if you played that, and I sent someone to retrieve your other instrument for you?"

"That would be fine, my Lord." She told him, sighing with relief. He nodded at someone and they disappeared, off to get what she had forgotten she expected. "Shall I begin then?" she asked him and he nodded at her. She brought the flute to her mouth and began to play an airy melody, a light and dancing tune. She thought she saw a few of the people in the back dance around in a little circle as they could not be seen by the Pharaoh or the guests. Finishing her song, she lowered her flute to applause and smiling faces. A man walked up to her and handed her shell to her. "Thank you." She said to him and glanced around for a place to set her flute, another coming up to take it from her as she bent to set it on the floor.

She straightened up and looked towards the Pharaoh again, waiting for his signal to begin. Taking a deep breath and closing her eyes, she brought this funny instrument to her lips and began to play, pouring her soul into the song.

The room grew quiet and spell bound as the notes reverberated off the walls, the tune enchanting and drawing its audience in. It grew louder at the end, a crescendo until it could go no farther, and then quickly came down to a whisper, her fingers lightly dancing across the instrument as she spun the head and slowed the song to a halt.

She opened her eyes for the first time since she had begun and glanced around the room, noting the eyes of her listeners. The room was still, without any movement, and the expressions of those around her were hard to read. Feeling her eyes starting to fill with tears as she her heart sunk at her apparent failure, she mumbled an excuse and dashed out of the room, aware that she was no longer blinking back the heavy tears and instead could feel them falling faster than grains of sand.

"Is there something wrong?" One of the people outside the hall asked her. "I ruined it." She said as she moved past them. "After all he's done for me, and I ruined his party. I ruined it!" She ran past them, leaving them confused in her wake. She did not pause to look back.

In the hall the Pharaoh was debating whether or not to leave his guests or stay and talk to her later. "Oh just go." Siamun says to him again. "You know that's what you really want to do anyway." The Pharaoh looks at him. "Why bother acting?" his advisor chuckles. "Right." He nods as he quickly stands and exits, looking for her. "If you hurry you might catch her." He hears him call from inside.

Jogging down the hall he looked for her. Spying someone, they merely pointed. "She went that way." They said. He nodded and began in that direction. He had a pretty good idea of where she was going to be.

And a few minutes later he saw to his relief that he was. There on the balcony where he had first seen her he found her again. She was leaning against the railing this time, however, her face buried in her arms. He could tell she'd been crying.

Walking over to her, she rose. "My Lord." She said standing and wiping her eyes as she hid her face so he couldn't see her tears. He walked next to her and set his hands down on top of the railing. "Why did you leave like that?" he asked her. "I'm not stupid, my Lord." She told him. "I saw how they were looking at me. I'm sorry I disappointed you."

"Disappointed me?" he asked. "How so?" "My song." She said, a look of anguish playing across her face. "The one thing I'm supposed to be good at and I ruined it." "No you did-" "Yes, I did." She said, interrupting him. "For once I did look at everyone's faces. I saw the way they looked." "And how was that?" he asked. "They weren't smiling, that's for sure." She said. "They were just surprised." He tells her. "They haven't had the chance to hear such things before. It was entirely new to them. They were shocked." "Just because it was something new doesn't mean it is allowed to be unpleasant." She says. "It doesn't matter if it was new or not. Either they would like it or they wouldn't, and it wasn't the former option, my Lord." He chuckled. "I'm sorry I ruined your party." She repeated.

"You ruined nothing." He told her. Sighing, he tried to figure a way to pose the question he knew was inevitably going to be asked.

"There's…something I've been wanting to…to ask you." He said, looking down at his own hands, unsure of how to come about it. Somewhere along the way he'd fallen in love, and he knew that there was no way to escape it, nor did he want to.

"You don't have to worry." She said. "I understand." "You do?" he said. "Yes. It's okay, really."

"We can leave tomorrow."

"What?" he says surprised. "No, it's okay, really." She tells him, laughing as the tears fell a little slower. "I've been expecting it anyway. I think I have enough to get us a small room somewhere until I figure the rest of things out, so it's no problem. Really." "But I-" "Will be paid for everything." She interrupts him again. "I don't know how much it would be to stay in the palace for so long, a lot I'm sure." She adds. "But I promise you you'll have it all someday. It might be a while, but you'll get it. And if I can't seem to come up with it I'm sure that my children will continue what I left unfinished. And should you leave this world, then your children will receive the payments. One way or another it will come back to the throne, I promise."

"But-" "We can leave tonight if you want." She said, not really hearing him this time. "I'll just need a few minutes for my parents to get ready."

"That's not what I meant at all." He said before she could continue further. "Of course it is." She says. "I've been giving you problems since we got here." She said. "And then tonight not only was I late but I was horrible." "No you weren't." "Yes I was." She said. "How can you want me to stay after that?" she asked, fresh tears falling again.

"Very easily." He says. "Alyssa," he hesitates. "Would you…please..." He begins. "Just say it." She mumbles, dejected. "I'm trying to." He says. "I don't know how." "Then just spit it out!" She tells him. Hesitating, he begins again. "Would you…please…do me the honor of...becoming my wife?"

She freezes. "What?" she asks him. "You heard me." He says, awkwardly. "Will you marry me?" He takes a ring off one of his fingers and slips it onto her ring finger. A small green stone sparkles up at her. "It's not nice to toy with other's feelings, my Lord." she says, returning the ring to him and walking a few paces away, sitting on the bench. "Why do you say that?" he asks, coming to sit beside her. "Look at me!" she tells him. "And look at you! You're handsome and nice and wonderful and smart and" she sighs before continuing. "Rich. Not to mention the Pharaoh of Egypt." She says. "And?" he asks. "You could get anyone you wanted!" she shouts, gesturing to the city below him as she stands and walks over to the railing, resting her arms on it again. "You could walk into any home, pick a girl and she'd happily marry you. Even the elite would do it in a heartbeat." She sighed. "When you could have anyone…why would you want me?"

"But that's it." He tells her. "I don't want just anyone…I want you." He says. "I can't…" she tells him. "There's someone out there that's better than this" she says, gesturing to herself "…And she's pretty and smart and talented." She says. "But you just described yourself." He says, amused. "And rich." She adds. "Like you. So it's more equal. I certainly don't have any money." She says, scraping one of her sandals against the top of the other. "You don't deserve me." She says. "You deserve better."

"And you?" he asks her. "What do you think you deserve." She laughs sarcastically. "I don't think I need to worry about that." She says. "No one asks for me, and the one or two times they went to my father for my hand I refused. My father will not make me marry some man I don't want to, which is lucky for me because I don't want to just sit in a house all day and clean for some fool that won't give me the time of day unless he's interested in having children." She says plainly, crossing her arms as she gazes out at the lights below.

The Pharaoh smiles and stands. "Alright. I see." He says. "If after this you still don't want to, if you still say no, then I'll leave you be. You can stay here at the palace or leave if that is what you want." "After wha-" she begins, turning and dropping her arms as she feels the Pharaoh's mouth come down over hers and his arms encircle her waist. For a moment she is shocked but then allows herself to be lost in the kiss. Her body melts into his as he supports her entirely, her limp arms resting against his strong ones. They stand there like this for what seems an eternity to her, as his spicy scent once more infects her body and leaving her happily dizzy. The Pharaoh breathes in hers, thinking she tastes even sweeter than she smells. Finally they separate, she still leaning against him, her eyes closed.

"Please." He says quietly, slipping his ring over her finger again. She looks at it, opening her eyes and watching it glint. Burrowing her face in his chest again, she says "After that how can I say no?"  
"So that's a yes then?" the Pharaoh asks, his heart full to bursting. "Yes." She says, and he catches her up and kisses her again. Her head swims in a blissful ocean of warmth, and she rests against him when he releases her once more. "I'll send someone to your suite tomorrow for measurements for a wedding dress." He tells her softly as he stroked her long, soft hair. She mumbles something and burrows into him again and he laughs, enjoying the feeling. After a few more minutes he sighs. "I should probably be getting back then." "And I should probably be getting to bed." She tells him, still resting against his chest. "I'll be by tomorrow." He tells her, planting a soft kiss on the top of her head. "I'll be waiting." She says, squeezing him in a hug once more as he wraps his arms around her tight again. They separate then, and she picks up her shell from where she set it down on the bench almost forgetting it in her joy. She walks on air back to her room, floating on cloud nine as she enters the suite. She climbs into bed, sighs happily, and promptly falls asleep.

Entering the hall the Pharaoh once more sits down. "What took you so long?" one of them asks him. "Hey, look, he's a little red there, aint he?" They laugh, including the Pharaoh. "Hey Yami, where's your ring? You drop it?" One of them asks. "No, I gave it to my soon to be wife." He says nonchalantly as he reaches for his cup of wine." There is a rousing chorus of sheers and whistles as they get up and clap him on the shoulder, congratulating him. "I am pleased for you." His advisor says, raising his glass to him. "Not nearly as much as I am." The Pharaoh says. "When are you two tying the knot?" one of them asks as they pick up an apple. "I don't know." The Pharaoh says. "As soon as everything's ready." They raised their glass in a toast and drank deep, the Pharaoh the happiest he'd ever been.

.:. Yami stood up and walked towards his friends. He'd found Yugi only to lose him again. He did feel slightly better now though. Slowly he made his way towards the edge of the circle.

Atop the hill the four of them and Skye looked down at the Pharaoh. "Poor Pharaoh." Tea said again. "If he can't stop feeling bad about himself we'll never get Yugi back." "It's a hard loss for him." IronHeart says, "But he will grow better in time." "Especially when we _do_ get Yugi back." Alyssa adds and Tea nods.

The ground rumbles beneath the Pharaoh's feet as he looks around. "Who's there?" he calls out, scanning around him for someone. "Show yourself!" he says. A large figure made of Rock bursts from the ground. It makes a low groaning noise and holds out a hand. A monster comes forth from the ground and attempts to attack the Pharaoh. He dodges, and turns away. Similar attacks follow, and the Pharaoh becomes cornered as he notices the symbol of the Orycalcos beneath his feet. The monster attacks again and the Pharaoh holds out his arm to block the blow. A shield forms around him though, and he hears a whispery voice. "The spirits of Atlantis will help you, but they can not do it alone. You must call upon your cards!" It says, as it swirls together and enters his deck. "This thing can't be _dueling_ me, can it?" The Pharaoh asks. He pulls out a card as he sees it ready to strike at him again. "I play my Celtic Guardian!" The Pharaoh says, as the card moves to attack. The Pharaoh's card is the stronger of the pair, and defeats the monster, draining it of its life points. "That was too easy." The Pharaoh says, narrowing his eyes. The monster attacks his Guardian again, and it dodges. "Are you alright?" the Pharaoh calls to his monster and it nods it's head. "Then strike it again!" he says, and the Guardian does so, once more bringing down the opponent. The Pharaoh is not as surprised when it emerges again. "It get's stronger each time." He comments as his Guardian strikes at it, once more defeating it. "But this time…" the Pharaoh says, as it comes up. "It won't be able to defeat it this time." Surely enough the monster squarely lands a blow on the Celt, and he bursts into pieces. The monster once more advances on the Pharaoh, who plays a trap card to dodge the blow.

"What's going on?" he says as he is drawn away into a world of gray. "IronHeart?" he says, noticing someone similar to the old man he had met.. "And Chris!" he says, his eyes alighting to the figure next to them. They were dressed richly, IronHeart holding a battle axe in his hand and she holding a staff as she rode on Skye, who looked like a wolf more than domesticate.

Stretched out before them was a cast battlefield full of monsters. On one side they were deformed, their ugly shells dark and full of spines. On the other side a variety of majestic beasts spanned, the two sides ready to collide.

They did, and battles were fought, soldiers on both sides of the field going down. Across the Way he could see a man laughing as he rode atop a dark black serpent. The beast fired at the other side, effectively taking out many of its men. A great cry rose up as the side of Good was ravaged.

But then another cry took up. "Look, it's Timeaus!" they shouted. In the sky the Pharaoh saw his own legendary dragon flying through the air, blasting away an equal number of monsters on the other side. "Timeaus, how nice to see you." The man on the other side of the field said. The Dragon turned toward him and began flying at an even faster pace. "Foolish, Timeaus." The man said. "I call upon the sword of the Orycalcos!" he shouted, and a large green sword descended to him from the sky. "I have more power in the tip of my finger then you do in your whole body!" the man shouted as a green light flew from his finger to the dragon. Timeaus fell then, hitting the ground hard. "Timeaus!" the Pharaoh called out, though no one heard him. The dragon lifted it's head up and shot a blast at the other dragon, the one this man was riding on. "Attack, Leviathan!" the man shouted, and a deep red beam met the light blue of Timeaus's. They collided, a bright sphere forming at the meeting point, before expanding into a bright light.

Atop the hill the foursome stands, worried. Removing Timeaus from his coat IronHeart says "The Pharaoh will need his card." He starts running down the slope at a furious pace. Lightning bolts fall from the sky and attempt to hinder him. "C'mon Skye." The young girl says, hopping onto the back of her dog and running down the hill. "Grandpa needs our help!"

IronHeart reaches the foot of the slope before a lightning bolt finally catches him. "Grandpa!" Chris shouts as Skye comes to a halt next to his fallen figure. "Chris, the Pharaoh needs his card." He says, holding it out to her. She takes it and promises him with a nod of her head. Separating into a wave of bubbles as Yugi had, he floats away on the wind. "C'mon Skye!" Chris shouts, hopping onto her canine comrade and continuing towards the Pharaoh.

"No, it's too dangerous." The Pharaoh says, having seen her grandfather fall and she riding towards him, bolts of lightning splaying the ground around her. She makes half the distance to him before Skye trips, landing on his side. "Oh no, Skye!" she says, kneeling next to him as he whimpers. He licks her hand and likewise disappears after turning into a hundred feathery bubbles.

Watching her run, the Pharaoh is forced to dodge a few more attacks, some of his monsters that were in defense mode becoming destroyed. Only a few feet away a lightning bolt triumphantly catches Chris's ankle, and she pulls herself the rest of the way. "Pharaoh," she says, as she holds a shaky arm to hand him the Eye of Timeaus. "Grandpa wanted you to have this card. Please, take it." She hands the card through the barrier to him. "Thank you." The Pharaoh tells her. She nods and smiles at him, vanishing into a curtain of bubbles as had Graybeard and Skye.

Looking at the cards he holds in his hands, the Pharaoh speaks to them. "I know I have wronged you. I do not ask you to do this for me, but for all those that are counting on me and have fallen." He closes his eyes momentarily before swiftly opening them. "I call upon the Eye of Timeaus!" he shouts and the dragon triumphantly roars out to the field. "And I'll merge him with my Dark Magician to, to create Dark Magician Girl the Dragon Knight!" Again she comes out of the card before spinning in a circle and possessing a shiny coat of armor. "And now to heighten their attack power, I'll play the card Excalibur, adding one thousand points." He says. A shiny sword appears in her hand as their power reaches five thousand. "Now, attack this creature of darkness!" he shouts, as Timeaus and Dark Magician Girl let out colorful beams of blue and purple that intertwine to form one, blasting the monster and successfully ridding it of all its life points so that it never returns again.

After it had disappeared the Dark Magician Girl and Timeaus appear before the Pharaoh. "I thank you." He tells them. "If you could ever forgive me for what I have done, it would be more than I deserve." He tells them as they nod and disappear.

"Not more than you deserve, Pharaoh." He hears a voice from behind. "Just more than you would ask for."

"Alyssa" he says, turning to see her smiling as Tea runs up behind her. "We were worried." Tea says. "We were debating coming down and ended up playing rock paper scissors for it." "Oh?" the Pharaoh says, cocking an eyebrow. "If I won we would come down. If Tea won we'd stay." Alyssa told him. "And who won?" asks the Pharaoh. "I did." Tea says. "Then how come you are here?" he asks. "Well," Alyssa starts. "You can't let rock paper scissors decide everything."

.:. Alyssa lays in her bed, snuggling deeper under the covers and their warmth. She pulls at the pillow, her head burrowing deeper into it. She mind is enveloped in a sea of happy dreams, and she is blissfully sleeping.

Just then her mother unceremoniously opens the door so that it swings into the wall, startling the young girl in her bed as she awakes from the sound. "You're engaged to the Pharaoh, and you didn't tell me?" her mother asks her. "Hmm?" she says, still not fully awake. "You're getting married, and you didn't tell your own mother?" her mother says, shaking her lightly. "I wasn't even sure I wasn't dreaming it." She said taking hold of her mother's arm and stopping her. "Why, how do you know? Did he come by?" she asks, now fully awake. "No, he's sent a group of people to help make your dress." Her mother explains. "Imagine that. Me. Mother of the bride, and I don't find out until someone outside the family tells me."

"I'm sorry." She says, sliding out of bed and looking for one of her dresses so that she might change for the day. "I'm getting married. Happy?"

"Of course I'm happy for you!" Her mother says, giving her a hug. "You know, I could tell he had eyes for you." She said to her daughter. "Mom…" she said, looking around still. "I did. I told myself, wouldn't it be funny if he really could call me mom?" "Have you seen my-"

"Ah, there she is!" A woman says loudly, bursting through her door. About three other women trail after her, and one or two more carrying different fabrics. "Set the stool down." She tells one of them. "You must be the lucky girl." She says to Alyssa. "Hold this." and hands her a bit of fabric. "Okay." She says. Suddenly she can feel herself being wrapped around by long sheets of soft fabric and feels herself lifted onto the stool. "This really isn't necessary," she says. "I can make my-" "The ribbon, please" a woman says interrupting her. In the short space of time that they had been there there was already a flurry of activity going on and she couldn't even really hear herself over all the buzz that was going on. Giving in she allowed herself to be positioned and tilted and standing still as they began their work.

It seemed like hours she stood there and her stomach growled since she had missed the chance to eat breakfast. Her mother had stayed with her for a while, but they being unable to hear each other, she left laughing at the situation. The women were busily talking among themselves, citing measurements and ideas and many other things. Alyssa merely stood there as they began sewing and talking and things that all seamstresses do.

It was around lunch when the Pharaoh finally made his way to her room. He entered the suite after knocking and noticed her uneaten tray. He received a warm hug from her mother-his in-law now-and proceeded to the back room where he found everyone busily at work. He could not keep from laughing as he saw the exasperation on her face as the other woman worked around her.

Spying him in the corner Alyssa made every effort to try and release herself from the fabric enclosure she was in. After trying in vain for several minutes she finally just shrugged it all off, the women catching it and continuing to work on it. Flushed she walked over to him.

He handed her flute to her. "You forgot this last night in the hall." He told her. "Thank you." She says, taking it from him. "I could not seem to escape before. Perhaps they won't notice if I remain quiet as I sneak away." She tells him, looking back at the mad scene within her bedroom. "Did they mention when they expect to have it finished?" he asked her. "I think I heard them say three days, but at the pace they are going at I wouldn't be surprised if it is finished by the end of the day." She says. He laughs jovially at the comment and she flushes a little bit more. He tucks a lock of hair behind her ear happily as he hears her tummy growl.

"Have you eaten lunch yet?" he asks her. "No, nor breakfast either." She says. "I woke up and minutes later I was bombarded with this mass of people." She tells him. "Would you care to join me?" he asks her. "Yes, I'd like that very much." She tells him as he takes her hand and leads her away from the loudness of the room.

Later after they had eaten they strolled through the garden, she resting her head on his shoulder as they walked. "Is this the first time you've been through here?" he asks her. "I've been to the beginning before, but never this deep, no." she says looking up. "It's like we were in a jungle." She comments. "You even have monkeys in here." She says, a small one jumping between trees and she smiles. "Would you like to have one?" he asks her. "Oh no, my Lord." She tells him, smiling. "While I do believe the ones you have here are wonderful, I also think that here is where they should remain."

"Why do you still address me as such?" he asks her. "And how come you still will not look me in the eye. "We are not married yet, my Pharaoh." She tells him simply. "Until such a time I will treat you as always. Though I am sure that afterwards it will change. Unless you would prefer that I still address you by your title, that is." She says. "No, that's okay." He tells her, kissing her hand. "I'd much rather hear you call me something else." He says.

They return to her suite (the Pharaoh taking care to go the long way, though she did not know that.) and she leaves him at the door.

"Thank you, my Lord." She tells him, bowing her head slightly. "I enjoyed that." "As did I." he tells her, bowing his own head to her and smiles as he sees her blush. "There she is!" and "We were wondering where you'd slipped off to." Can be heard from various people inside. He sees her surprised look as they surround her and lead her back to her room, where she replaced the unfinished cloth and stood as they worked over her, until night fell and it was time for her to sleep


	23. Chapter 23

.:. "Ah…I'm getting blisters on my blisters" Tea says as she removes her sandals, placing her feet in the water. "At least you aren't lugging around a duel disk," the Pharaoh remarks to her and they all laugh. Having no idea where to go, they had come across a river. People always were near water, they had agreed, and so they figured they would follow the river until they came to somewhere. Besides, the tracks had been near a river. They hoped that, if lucky, they might just run into them and follow them to Joey and Tristan.

After fifteen minutes of resting they bean on their long trek again. It seemed that they walked endlessly for hours. They'd have spurts of conversation every now and again, but for the main part of the trip it was silent among their group, their only focus placing one foot in front of the other.

It was similar where Joey and Tristan were, plodding along the tracks carrying the body of Rex with them Looking up at the sky, Joey groaned "When is this gonna be over?" "I dunno, man." Tristan says. "Whenever we get wherever we're goin'." "I am not carrying this all the way to Florida." Joey says. "Neither am I." Tristan agrees.

"Hey, what's that?" Joey says, spying colorful lights in the sky. "Haven't I seen those before?" And it hit him- the night they were walking around, when Yugi had pulled out Timeaus for the first time. That eye had been in the sky with those lights. "Oh man." Joey says. "That can't be good."

"C'mon, let's hurry!" Tristan shouted as they began running. "Hey! Wait for me!" Joey says, starting off after him. "Too slow, bro." Tristan says laughing. "I notice you aren't the one carrying around a hundred pound weight." Joey retorts.

"What's that?" Tea says. "It's pretty." They look in the sky. "That's that same thing that was in the sky the night the eye was there." Yami announces to the group. "So…it's not a good thing then, is it?" Tea asks. "No, I don't think it is." The Pharaoh repeats. "Quick, let's follow it."

They began running towards where they believed the source of the light to be. They came to a grassy clearing; it seemed as if they had left the desert behind them through a wall of rocks. On the ground they saw a plane with the Kaiba Corporation logo on it, nearby helicopters bearing the same symbol.

"Mister Kaiba sir, is everything alright?" they hear as men in black suits rush towards the plane that has crashed to the ground. "We're fine, no thanks to you." Kaiba says hopping down on the ground. In his arms is the unconscious body of the one with ruby hair that they had seen in the alleyway and on top of the buildings that night. "Raphael, Valin." The Pharaoh said, ticking them off on his fingers. "That must be Alaster." He says, remembering Kaiba's comment on his trying to take his soul.

"Are you okay?" Tea says as their group approaches Kaiba and Mokuba. "Yugi" Kaiba says. "What a surprise." "Hello, Kaiba." The Pharaoh says. "I see you've been busy." He says, nodding towards Alaster. "Hey, Pharaoh!" They hear Joey call from behind. "Wait for us!" Tristan says, now trying to keep up with Joey, still carting Rex's body. They halt in front of everyone, out of breath.

"So, how've ya been?" Joey asks pleasantly, standing up. "Shut it Wheeler." Kaiba says and walks into a large plane. "Hey, you mind if we get rides with you?" Joey calls to him. "I'm not waiting on anyone." Kaiba says, and they all scurry onto the plane.

"What are you doing out here? Walking to Florida?" Kaiba asks them. "We were taking the train," Yami leads off with. "It was then that we ran into trouble." "And some of us have been carting it around for a while." Joey says, nudging Rex's side as he lays down on the floor.

"Well, isn't that nice?" Kaiba asks as he fiddles with his computer. "What are you doing?" Joey asks him, trying to peer over his shoulder. "I found out more about this museum in Florida, these hieroglyphics. I've sent a team of mine down there to take pictures and copies of everything. They should be done by now." He says.

"That was nice of you, Kaiba." Tea tells him. "Don't worry I wasn't doing it for you." He says. "I have a few things of my own interest that led me to this." "Thank goodness." Tea says. "The copies that the professor had were destroyed along with his house. "That's my brother; always one step ahead." Mokuba says proudly. "Hello?" they heard on the other side, and all conversation stopped.

"How far along are you?" Kaiba asks, getting directly to the point. "Almost finished, sir." Another voice says on the other side of the phone. "we are ready to upload the files to your computer."

"Then do it." Kaiba says, as a meter begins to rise showing the updated files. In the background they can hear a pounding on a door. "Yes? Who is it? What are you doing? No!" they hear people shout. "What's going on?" Kaiba demands. "Someone's breaking in." they say. "They're trying to delete the files." He says. Kaiba eyes the meter. "It's almost to one hundred percent." He tells Mokuba, hitting a few keys and it speeds up. His eyes glued to the raising bar, Kaiba ignored the other sounds coming from the other line. Right as it reached one hundred, it was shut down.

"Did you get it?" Joey asks. "Yes," Kaiba says. "Though I had to speed up the connection. Odds are the images will be too fuzzy to make out on this computer. We'll have to use my main one at my company."

"Sir…that's what I've been meaning to tell you." One of the men says coming forward. "What?" Kaiba asks, narrowing his eyes. "Sir…the unknown buyer, he…he bought the number of shares he needed." He says. "What?" Kaiba shouts. "But how could he…we have our own shares to keep this from happening!" Kaiba yells angrily. "Somehow they authorized the transfer." He tells him. "What's this mean?" Tristan asks, looking between the two. "Well, to say it plainly, it means that someone has taken over my company, and that I'm no longer the president and chairman of Kaiba Corporations."

"What?" they all gasp as Kaiba clenches his fists. "I don't care about these stupid fools that try to irritate me. I've worked hard to make this company worthwhile. No one, and I mean _no one,_ messes with my company." He says, gritting his teeth. "Mr. Kaiba, we understand." One of the men in black suits said. "Don't bother." Kaiba told him. "I'm not your boss anymore." "That doesn't matter, sir." One of them said. "We've been with you and Mr. Mokuba for a long time. We'll stand by you until you sort this out."

With angry determination Kaiba begins typing on his laptop again. "What are you going to do now?" Tea asks him. "I'm connecting to my computer in my office. If I download the files to there now, they can be done cross referencing by the time we arrive."

"That's good." Tea says. "It would be," Seto said, angrily as he laid a hand on the top of his laptop as if he were going to shut it. "If only I could get through!" he shouts, closing it quickly. "What do you mean, Seto?" Mokuba asks him. "What I mean is someone reprogrammed the entire system already. My password and account no longer seem to be there. "Isn't there a way to go around that?" Alyssa asked. "I already tried, thank you." He says angrily.

"We should probably call Rebecca." Tea said. "Do you have a phone on board?" she asked. "I have the videophone n my laptop, but I'm not feeling very generous right now." Seto says. "When does he ever?" Joey whispers to Tristan and the pair sniggers.

"How can you be so rude?" Alyssa asks him. "Excuse me?" he says. "Might I remind you that you are sitting in _my_ plane?" "Yes, and you weren't very kind about inviting us on." She says. "OH, I'm _so_ sorry." Seto says sarcastically. "How can you deny someone the simple service of a short phone call when you own a plane? It would mean nothing to you." She asks him. "Right, so why bother with it at all?" "Because it's still helping another person, if you even know how to do that." She says.

"What is that supposed to mean?" he asks her. "Merely that I think all your money has gone to your head. You are still only a man, Seto Kaiba. You are no immortal being." "I'll have you know that I worked hard for all this." He says gesturing around him. "It was not merely handed to me." "Congratulations," she tells him. "It doesn't give you the right to be so foul with other people." "Listen lady, if you knew what my life was like, you wouldn't think so poorly of how_ I _act." He says. "At least you can remember it." She lashes back, though she doesn't expect him to understand.

"On my plane you will show me some respect." Kaiba says. "Or else what?" she asks. "I've seen how you act before. I've seen nothing to show me that you deserve any respect." Kaiba narrowed his eyes at her. "You take that back or I'll have this plane landed right now and you can walk out." He says. "Try me." She says, looking back. "I dare you."

They glare at each other for a moment before Seto looks away. "It's not worth my time." He says, fiddling with his computer some more. "Besides it would be a waste of fuel for us to land and take off again." "I'm sure." She says, turning away from him. The rest of the group merely looks at each other.

"And all over a phone call." Joey whispers. "Shut up, Wheeler." Kaiba says, and the ride is silent once more.

.:. "I don't know, mother." She says as she twists the ring around on her finger. "I never thought to ask." She finished as they sat on the large bed, chatting about the next day.

"You aren't even curious as to how he'll look?" she asks her daughter. "I know how he'll look." She told her mother. "And how's that?" her mother asked her. "Wonderful." She said, and she could feel her cheeks reddening again. Her dress had been finished the day before; it was beautiful. It was entirely white, with long fans falling from the sleeves that had been made of lace. There was a slit on the side of it which narrowed as it went up to her hip. Two bands of gold were supposed to go around her waist, as well as her upper arms, wrists, ankles, and one on her right thigh that was exposed by the slit. She felt decorated and had insisted she didn't need so many things. She was also to wear earrings and a few rings on her fingers. He had asked her if she would like another one the day of the wedding but she had told him no; the one he had given her but a few days ago suited her perfectly. She did not want anything else.

She was hemming the dress that the Pharaoh had kindly asked be made for her mother. It was floor length, but her mother did not want the beautiful and expensive fabric to drag upon the ground. She had come to her asking if there might be a way to raise it just a bit so that it wouldn't do so.

Her father looked wonderful in his fine clothes as well, a cape of his own in red given to him as well. Alyssa would have made them things on her own, but she was overjoyed as well when she saw how happy they were with their fine clothes. She did not think she ever would have had enough to buy such fabric for them in time.

It was as she was finishing the last few stitches and laughing over something when a messenger came in. "the Pharaoh calls for you." He says. "He is in his throne room." He told her. Looking up, she asked "Did he say why?" "No miss, I was not given a message to tell you." The messenger says. "Thank you." She tells him, looking at her mother quickly. "I'll be right down."

"Can't stand to be away from you for long, eh?" her mother teased her. "Doesn't e know that there will be plenty of time for the two of you to spend together now?" she joked. "I'm sure he does, mother." She said. "Your dress is finished. Would you like me to put it in your room for you?" she asked her. "Nonsense." Her mother told her, taking the dress. "You can't keep the Pharaoh waiting." She says, and exits the room.

Nervously Alyssa began walking down the halls. He'd never called her before, save that one time when he'd first asked that she play for him. _"What if he's changed his mind?"_ she worries, and her heart stops at the thought. She couldn't bear that, not now. Not after everything that had happened. _"It can't be that."_ She told herself, chiding her silly thoughts. _"But…what else could it be?"_

She entered the room and knocked on the door, noticing the dancers on the ground. "You called for me, my Lord?" She says, bowing her head slightly, her palms together. She hoped that the others could not hear he voice shaking as she had. The Pharaoh looked over at her. "I don't recall doing so." He says, sending questioning glances to his friends that are all around him. Each shakes their head unknowing about the action.

"No, I don't believe I did." He says. "But you may stay if you wish." He says, smiling at her. She hesitates before making her way towards him as he sits in his chair, his friends lounged about on others that had been brought in. She takes a seat on the floor next to his throne. I did not mean to interrupt anything." She says to him, glancing about at all the people gathered about him. "No, it's nothing." The pharaoh replied.

"It's just a little send off for the Pharaoh, to make sure he's ready to leave all this behind." One of them says, gesturing towards the dancers as they spun around, their tight tummies sparkling with gems and markings that had been painted on them. "He could always have this if he wished." She says in response looking at the ground again.

"Yeah, but it wouldn't be like this." One of them says, prodding her lightly in the side. "It's just a little party for him, before he makes a decision he can never take back." His friend says, emphasizing the last part so that others could hear. The pharaoh merely concentrated on his millennium puzzle. Apparently he had undone it and was putting it back together again for fun.

Alyssa felt very out of place as she looked at the dancers below, knowing that many of the eyes in the room were on her. "What would you do if he changed his mind, eh?" one of them asked her. "It would be his decision" she heard herself say shakily. "And I would abide by it. The Pharaoh may do as he pleases." She said. "And if it were to happen as you were standing in front of everyone? If right when he was to give his vow to make it complete, and instead said 'I've changed my mind'. What would you do then?"

"Again, it would be his choice." She said, even more nervous inside. Perhaps he was trying to use his friends to see how she'd react when he broke her the news. She could feel herself growing on edge and nervous. She wanted nothing more than to leave and hide in some unknown place as she felt the eyes of one of her interrogators bore into the back of her head.

She felt like she was on display as they sat there and tormented her with their questions. She was blinking back tears, trying to find polite answers to the questions as these were still his friends. The Pharaoh sat on his throne, oblivious to all things as he continued to work on his puzzle. She was beginning to feel a little sick and dizzy and figured it might be best to go to her room.

"After all, he could get anyone he wanted." He heard one of them comment quietly to another. "I don't see why he ended up with her." Anguish fell on her heart like a heavy weight as she heard the argument she'd presented to him that night. He'd said that he still wanted her though, and she should trust in that.

"Why don't you get down there and show us what you can do." Someone said, giving her a push towards the dancers. "Yes, why don't you?" another echoed. "I will when you do." She told him, angered that they had pushed her so. "I'm not a woman." He said, laughing. "Really? Could have fooled me." She said coldly in response.

"Oooooohh!" his friends taunted him and she could see the look of anger on his face as he shook a mad finger at her. "Finished!" The Pharaoh said, and hung his puzzle around his neck. Looking down, he noticed her discomfort and obvious anxiety.

"What's the matter?" he asked her, worried. "It's nothing, my Lord." She said, looking away. "No, there is." He said, taking her arm so that she stood up and sat on his knee. "What's the matter, have they been teasing you?" he asked her, pulling her in for another hug. "No, my Lord." She mumbled into him. "Is that the truth?" he asked her. "Well…maybe… just a little." She said hesitantly.

"It's only teasing." He told her, running his hand through her soft hair. "They are rather…protective of me, I guess I should say. They were probably just testing you." He said. "I see." She said, burrowing her face deeper into him. Who cared what they said anymore?

"I know I'd be very angry if I found that they were hurting you in any way." The Pharaoh said pointedly, receiving a chorus of "Oh no." "Never." And, "We were just playing."

He tugged on her ear with his teeth and the gesture made fish swim up her spine. "They were actually quite enthusiastic when they heard about it last night." He told her. "Don't worry." He said. "After tomorrow, everything will be fine."

"Hey Yami, between that puzzle and your girl your missing all the dancing!" One of his friends teased him. "I don't need one of these." The pharaoh says good naturedly, referring to the party. "I am secure in my decision. I'm only here because you took the time to set it up for me, my friend." He says, laughing.

She fell asleep in his arms and awoke just as his small party ended. She'd insisted on walking, though he'd offered to carry her, and they went up to their suites.

"Forget them." He told her. "They are not changing my mind." "I am glad to hear that." She told him honestly. He gave her a soft kiss on the forehead and wished her goodnight before she walked into her room and lay down. Afterwards he went into his own, both excited about what the next day would bring.


	24. Chapter 24

.:. We've landed right outside Kaiba Corporation headquarters." One of the men tells Kaiba. As the plane's engine winds down. Next to them they can see Kaiba Corporations main office, the skyscraper stretching into the sky completely dark. "Good." He says shortly. "But I thought you said they'd changed the whole system?" Tea asks him. "And you couldn't get through?"

"That might be so but I've still got a master account that should be safe. I need to break into the main computer room to set it up though." "Oh." Tea says. "Do you need any help, Seto?" Mokuba asks. "No. I'll do this on my own." Kaiba returns to his brother. "But-" "I'll be fine, Mokuba." He tells his brother, mussing up his hair. Mokuba laughs and ducks out of his brother's reach. "Still…be careful." He tells his older brother, and Seto smiles at him.

"Kaiba I think you should take someone with you." The Pharaoh says. "You don't know what's up there, and with all that's been going on-" "I don't need any help." Kaiba says to him. "You may find otherwise. The systems are all down and encrypted now." The voice of a new person says behind him. "Huh?" he says, turning around. "Who are you?" he asks, looking at her.

"Rebecca Hopkins." She says, giving him a thumbs up and a wink. "Computer whiz and kid genius." "Rebecca, how did you find us?" Joey asks her surprised. "I traced the link from the laptop." She told him. "It was easy to figure out what was going on after that."

"I don't need some grade schooler tagging along." He tells her. "Grade school? I'm already out of college!" she says angrily. "Whatever." He says. "You're not coming and that's all that matters, shrimp." Kaiba tells her walking towards the entrance.

"I'm coming with you." The Pharaoh says, walking beside him. "Whatever." Kaiba says again. "Just don't slow me down."

They reach the entrance of the building and Kaiba pulls out his laptop again. "I need to hack into the system. Even the door and elevator codes have been changed." He says, noticing Yami's confused look. Moments later the doors swish open. Quickly pulling out his laptop's cord from the building he shouts, "Let's go."

They hurry into the building before the doors shut and it is entirely black about them. There are no lights on, anywhere, and only the lightning flashing outside offers them small bursts of light to dodge fallen objects.

"It's a mess in here." The Pharaoh says. "Thanks for stating the obvious." Kaiba says. "And stay quiet." He tells him. "A little worried, Kaiba?" the Pharaoh asks him. "I saw some unidentified figures on the next floor. I'd rather we not announce it to them that we're coming." He says, pushing the elevator button. The doors open swiftly, and they are let in. Kaiba pushes another button and the elevator descends underground. The elevator buttons blink as they travel downward, to level three.

The doors open and they are greeted with the forms of many duel monsters, each crippled and hideous as the ones the Pharaoh had seen in his visions. One leaps at them and the Pharaoh pulls out his duel disk. "Go, Celtic Guardian!" he says as the monster erupts and blocks the attacker. "You might want to do the same." He nods to Kaiba. "Right." Kaiba says. "Go, Battle Ox!" and another monster joins the Pharaohs as they run down the long hall to the next elevator.

The Pharaoh turns, watching the battle as Seto pushes the button to open the doors. He pushes it again when nothing happens. "Those fools changed the code for this one too. It's separate from the others; I didn't think they'd realize that. I have to hack into the system again." He works on his laptop, trying futilely to open the elevator.

"Almost have it?" the Pharaoh questions as he ducks to avoid a monster, kicking another in the face as it comes at them. "Not yet. We definitely aren't working with amateurs." Seto says. The Celtic Guardian takes a blow and disintegrates, Kaiba's Battle Ox sharing the same fate. They back up against the door as they see the wave of creatures come towards them.

Suddenly the doors open. "Get in!" the Pharaoh says, dashing inside and pulling Kaiba in just as the monsters approach the door. "Not bad for a shrimp, eh?" they hear over the loudspeakers as the doors close, a claw reaching through. Seto swings his laptop at it and it shrilly howls, but removes its hand. The elevator descends again.

The Pharaoh laughs at Seto's irritated expression as they lower to the last level, assuming it was because Rebecca had ended up using her computer skills. The doors opened and they stepped directly into a large room. "Identification." A computerized voice says. "Seto Kaiba." Kaiba said. "Voice identification affirmed. Hello, Mr. Kaiba." the voice said and the room hummed to life. "Shut down new system, reboot with old master system." Seto says as he begins walking towards the main terminal. It stood in the center, a large circle with many buttons. All around the room were large screens. Plugging his computer into the terminal and inserting a disk into a slot, he uploads the pictures onto the mainframe. "Cross reference information with every database on the planet." Kaiba orders and the screens decorating the room fill with pictures of hieroglyphics, ancient images, and old forms of writing. Boxes zoom in over places in the tablets every now and again, magnifying and reconstructing the images pixel by pixel, but at a rapid pace.

"Pause!" Seto shouts and the screens stop. "Rewind." He says again, and at his voice the computer begins going through the images just played backward. "Pause!" he says again, his eyes narrowed and jaw set as he looks at the screen. "What is it, Kaiba?" The Pharaoh asks. "That symbol. I've seen it before." The Pharaoh looks up at the screen and gasps.

"That's the symbol of the Seal of Orycalcos!" he says, shocked. "It's not only that." Seto says. "That's the symbol for a company. It is believed to hold a small piece of every company around the world. That's the symbol for the corporation that took over my company!" he shouts, banging his fist down on the terminal.

"Who is it?" Yami asks, narrowing his own eyes. "They say he has many names, but most of us just call him Dartz." The image of a man in a purple suite with long hair appears on all the screens. The Pharaoh gasps again. _"The man from my vision!"_ He recalls the sight of the man grinning evilly atop his black serpent.

They hear maniacal laughter as the room around them disappears and they find themselves floating above the stars. "Hello Kaiba." They hear and the image of a man comes into view. "And Pharaoh. How nice to see you in the flesh." He says, sniggering a bit. "What have you done with Yugi?" the Pharaoh demands. "And get your filthy claws away from my company!" Kaiba shouts, clenching a fist.

"My, my, so quick to anger aren't we?" Dartz says. "Oh yeah?" Seto yells, "Fang of Critias!" "One dragon isn't near enough to stop me." Dartz says. "Then how about two?" the Pharaoh says. "Eye of Timeaus!" His own dragon materializes and joins that of Seto's.

"Hello Timeaus. How _is_ that eye?" he says, jeering at the dragon. Timeaus snorts and aims a blast at him. "I'm afraid not today." He says to the dragon, shielding himself from the blow. "I'll be waiting for you." He says to the pair as he fades away along with the atmosphere and they find themselves back in Kaiba's building.

"I'm going to get that man if it's the last thing I do." Kaiba says, taking up his laptop. The Pharaoh follows him as he shuts down the room and restores the security. He pushes the second button from the top on the elevator. "I need to get something from my office." He tells the Pharaoh as he raises an eyebrow. They ride up in silence and step out of the elevator.

There is a large sound, and the ground shakes beneath their feet. Seto rushes over to his desk and removes another suitcase, a silver one, and hops back to the elevator. He pushes the next one on the top. "Care to explain why we aren't going down?" Yami asks him this time. "Do you feel like facing all those animals again?" Kaiba asks him. "Not really, no." the Pharaoh says. "But I don't see how we are going to do anything on the roof."

The doors open to the rooftop as they step out. Kaiba's personal Blue Eyes White Dragon jet gleams in the moonlight. "Hop in." he tells the Pharaoh, opening the cockpit. "I don't believe you know how to fly a plane?" he asks him. "Can't say I do." The Pharaoh says as Kaiba stretches out the jet's wings. Another boom can be heard below them and the building shakes even worse. Above them a black shadow winds its way through the sky. "You don't have enough time to take off!" the Pharaoh tells him as he sees the ground beneath them begin to crack. "Just trust me on this." Kaiba says, and as the building lurches towards one side the dragon slips off the building, the wings slowing it's descent to the ground. "Brace yourself for a crash landing." Kaiba says as he levels the stick. The pair does and lands right outside the building.

"If nothing else you can drive." The Pharaoh says to Kaiba, hopping out and rejoining the small cluster outside the building. "What was that?" Mokuba says, running up and giving his brother a hug. "I'm not sure, but it appears Kaiba Corporations has caught fire." He says as flames lick the building and fire sirens scream streets away.

"Where's Joey?" Yami asks as he notices his friend's absence. "The moron found out where the office of the Orycalcos is held." Tristan says, bracing himself against his knees, out of breath. "So the idiot took off." "Where is that office?" the Pharaoh asks. "It's only a few blocks away." Rebecca says, showing them on a map on her computer. "Well then let's meet him there." Yami says. "Let's go."

"Would if we could," Tea begins. "But he ran into that Valin fellow and went off chasing him on someone's motor bike." They hear a shrill scream a bit off. "Oh, we almost forgot. The bundles of Joy." He says. "What do you mean?" the Pharaoh questions him again. "There are monsters everywhere!" Tristan tells him. "They're super tall and look like they're made out of stone. Some of them look a little like whatever you were fighting in that circle, Pharaoh." Tea tells him. "What's worse is they're going around stealing people's souls!" she finishes as they hear another scream. "We need to find Joey and fast." Tristan says.

"Lead the way." Yami tells them as they begin jogging towards the direction. "Coming, Kaiba?" he asks. "I don't hang out with the loser squad." Kaiba tells him. "I'm going to get back my company." He says. "C'mon Mokuba." And Mokuba trots along behind him as he starts off. "Don't you think we should have all three dragons together when-" "No, I don't." Kaiba says. "I think that you should mine your own business and keep your nose out of mine." Kaiba tells him.

The Pharaoh sighs. "If you wait we'll be there when we find Joey." He tells him and hurries to catch up with his friends that were waiting on him down the street.

Meanwhile, Joey was in a heated battle with Valin. "Why are you after me so badly?" Joey demands. "Because as soon as I get rid of you, Wheeler, Mai can move on with her life! She's been like a caged animal since you hurt her, but once you're gone she won't be like that anymore." Valin says, pointing an armored finger at him. In fact, Valin's entire body was covered in armor. It had been his dueling strategy. Joey was still playing conventionally, however.

"A caged animal? What _I_ did to her? _You're_ the ones that brainwashed her!" Joey says as their monsters collide, one of his breaking down one of Valin's. "After you beat Mai she's done nothing but think about it. She can't move on with her life. As soon as you're out of the picture, then she can concentrate on other things." Valin repeats. "Like you perhaps?" Joey asks him and Valin grits his teeth. "Maybe." Valin says.

"You're a real piece of work." Joey tells him, shaking his head. "Where did you come from?" "From a detention center." Valin says as he takes out another one of Joey's monsters. "What?" Joey asks. "I didn't really expect you to answer that." He tells him.

"Well I did." Valin says, continuing. "I was framed when I was ten for shoplifting. Nobody would believe me that I hadn't done it, so I decided that fine, I'd do what everyone thought I did. Well they caught me then and the next time and the next time. Eventually they just shipped me off to a center, rather than deal with me."

"Ay…here we go." Joey says, covering his face as he realizes he's about to hear another sob story. "But I was too tough for those centers, kept getting into fights. So they would pass me from one to the other, until they finally ran out of places. They decided to try another alternative then. The head of my last center took out a pack of duel monsters cards and gave them to me, telling me that troublesome students would be taught to take out their anger on their opponents in these matches. I learned fast and beat everybody on the island. They couldn't believe it when I showed them all the cards I'd collected." He says.

"That's when I met Dartz. He heard about what I was doing and told me he'd offer me a job. I'd do anything to get out of the centers so I accepted. I've been working for him ever since." "So the guy gave you a job and you think that makes it okay to go around collecting people's souls?" Joey asks him. "_He_ believes me that I never did that first theft." Valin says. "Dartz is okay in my book." "They've brainwashed you too!" Joey says.

"This is about Dartz this time." Valin says as another piece of armor envelops his arm. "This is for Mai. I'm getting rid of you on my own choice so that you can't hurt her no more." "Wheeler's mine, Valin, and you can stop the hero act. You aren't helping anyone." They hear Mai say from above as she appears. " 'Ello, love." Valin says to her. "Here to cheer me on?"

"Stop wasting your breath." She says. "I'm the one that's going to take down Wheeler." She says. "Not if I get him first." He tells her. "Will you all stop arguing about who's going to kill me?" Joey says on the other side of the field.

"Wheeler you better make sure you survive this 'cause I wanna be the one to take you down." Mai calls over to him. "It's nice to see you too, Mai." Joey says. "Stop the chit chat, Wheeler." Valin calls across. "This duel's still on."

A few streets away the group wanders through the streets. Above them they see a bright green light and watch as the Seal falls over a building." "Joey!" Tea shouts. "Come on, We've got to hurry." The Pharaoh says as they pick up their pace.

Meanwhile, Seto and Mokuba Kaiba are walking the streets on their own when they come to an auto dealership. Sports cars line the windows as Seto picks the lock on the front door, pushing it open. Mokuba runs in and they look at the various vehicles. "Wow!" Mokuba says as he spots a fiery red convertible. "Look at this!" he tells his brother. "I like this one."

Noticing the key in the ignition and assuming it had been out for a test drive, Seto climbs in the driver's seat. "Hop in." he says, shifting the car into gear as he turns the ignition switch. Mokuba is buckling his seatbelt when an employee comes up to them that must have been working late.

"You can't just drive this out of here!" the employee says, rushing up to the driver's side and waving his arms at them. "Huh?" he says as Seto shoves a thin piece of paper at him. "I think this will cover it." He says, as he floors the gas pedal and takes the car out through the still open front doors. The employee blinks as they drive out, returning his eyes to the paper to see that it was a check, filled out, the amount one hundred thousand dollars.

"I have to admit, this is the best duel I've ever been in." Valin tells Joey as he tries to catch his breath. Both are wearing suits of armor now, and both out of breath. "I'll say the same for you." Joey says. "But you realize, I still can't let you win." Valin says. "I don't plan on losing, pal." Joey says back at him. They stand. "I can't believe it, they both think they're fighting to save me." Mai tells herself as she watches them clash again and again. "How pathetic and stupid." She says with a "Humph." and diverts her eyes from the battle as they smash against each other again.

She turns back though when she hears Valin shout "This is the end for you, Wheeler!" and "I disagree!" Shielding her eyes from the extreme burst of light, she looks back as the blaring light clears. Valin sits on the ground, his life counter zero. Joey stands, his own not much higher, but still the victor.

"Valin!" Mai says, worriedly hopping down to see him as the Seal spins. "You fool! Why did you do that?" "I can see why you can't stop thinking about him, Mai." Valin says, giving Joey a thumbs up. "The guy's got heart. He's a good duelist." He looks at Joey. "It's up to you now, Wheeler. Save Mai…for the both of us." He says. Joey nods his head at him as the Seal draws around his adversary, the green light reaching towards the sky, his soul with it.

"You idiot." Mai says, dropping his form on the ground, the sadness gone from her eyes and replaced by the steely iron that Joey had seen in her the day they had found her again at Industrial Illusions. "He lost his soul trying to help you!" Joey called across to her. "He lost his soul by being a fool." She says to him. "How can you say that, Mai?" Joey asks her. "Easily." She tells him. "I told you that you'd be mine." She says, opening her duel disk and drawing her cards.

"Wha?" Joey shouts surprised. "Draw your cards, Wheeler." She says angrily. "It's time to duel!" "Mai…" Joey says. "What's up with you?" he asks her. "Nothing." She says. "Now come on, and no more of this sissy stuff." She tells him. "If I were you the only one I'd be worried about saving is myself."

Exhausted, Joey took a few steps towards her. "You know what Mai, I've been thinking, and the only way I can figure I can help you is by not holding back and sending you away." He says to her. "Good." She tells him. "But I'm not the one leaving."

"Harpie Lady!"


	25. Chapter 25

.:. Alyssa awoke the next day, tingling with happiness as she began counting down the hours until her wedding. They were to be married at noon, when the sun was at it's zenith in the sky. Her tummy was so full of excited butterflies that she thought they would lift her off the ground. Despite her protests they brought her breakfast in bed again but she was so excited she could barely eat anything at all. Her mother laughed and told her to breathe when she began talking, her speech rate fast with her eager happiness and her sentences long and incomprehensible.

She began getting dressed, taking care with the long sleeves of lace. She marveled at it and its intricacy; the feathery feeling of the fans made from the softest fabric around. They were smooth and satiny, and she felt as if the entire garment were made of delicate down.

In his own room the Pharaoh also was growing excited. His friends clustered around him as he himself began getting ready, teasing him lightly and joking with him. The Pharaoh laughed as his eyes strayed to the sun, wishing it to move faster. His companions helped him adjust his cape so that it flowed out behind him. He was wearing his puzzle still, and it hung about his neck. He held it in his hands and asked it to give them a wonderful day, to see that all went well. His friends clapped him on the back as he finished preparing. It was time to go to the temple.

Inside spanned many seats, filled with people from the city who had come to watch the event. They bowed to him as he walked by, and he nodded in each direction, the crowd returning to their seats as he passed. Near the front he hugged his friends and left them to sit, kissing the hand of his soon to be mother in law and shaking the hand of the father of the bride as he saw them. He smiled as he felt the man thump his back in a fatherly manner and as her mother gave him a kiss on the cheek before heading to the front of the room.

He climbed the golden stairs to the top and saw his advisor, Siamun, who was here to perform the marriage. He chatted with him momentarily. "Nervous, my boy?" his friend and mentor asked him. "Not at all," the Pharaoh replied, his eyes twinkling with excitement. "That's good," Siamun says as he sees someone motion to him. "Because she's here."

The Pharaoh looked up and saw her walking towards the front, a few attendants behind her. She ascended the stairs and stood facing him on the platform and the pharaoh thought he'd never seen anyone move with such grace before as she did then. He held himself back as a wisp of her hair fell from behind her ear, longing to brush it away for her. He tried to turn his thoughts back to Siamun, who had apparently begun talking.

"People of Egypt," he hears as he projects so that all may hear him. "We are here today to witness the marriage of your Pharaoh." He starts, the crowd cheering for a moment as Siamun motions for quiet and continues. "On this day he shall take his bride…" he began again, but the Pharaoh was already zoned out again. He could hear his voice but the words sounded jumbled and far away. He reached out and took her hands as Siamun continued his oratory, gently stroking the tops of them with his thumbs. He heard her intake of breath as he did so and smiled.

She'd been so nervous she would fall or her fine dress would catch as she ascended the stairs. She couldn't believe how clumsy she felt, but managed to get to the top. She bowed her head before the Pharaoh, the ebullient butterflies returning to her again. She heard his advisor, Siamun she recalled some one telling her, begin the ceremony. She tried to concentrate so she would remember this always, but found herself fading in and out. The Pharaoh took her hands at one point and she felt a thrill go through her entire body, the ability to pay attention becoming even harder.

"Pharaoh" Siamun says, slightly louder than his previous words so that it draws the Pharaoh back to the world. "You wish to take this woman as your wife and make her your queen, so that she retains all the powers of one? You vow to keep her always, so long as she does you no wrong, and that you will show her all the kindness you may?" he asks. "I do." The Pharaoh says.

"And you," he says, Addressing Alyssa. "You promise to remain faithful to your Lord and husband, to aid him in whatever matters and tasks he may ask of you, and that you will fulfill the duties you hold as High Queen?" he asks her. "Of course I do." She says.

"Then by the symbol of this ribbon that binds your hands, so you are bound to each other." He says, tying a light ribbon about their interlocked hands. When he is finished he begins again. "I pronounce you Atemu Yami Yugi, Pharaoh of Egypt, and Alyssa Yugi, his High Queen." "I promise to love and cherish you, for forever, and long after." He tells her. "And I the same, my Lord, my love, my friend, my Pharaoh." She tells him. "Kiss her already" Siamun tells the Pharaoh so that only he could hear as he nudges him in the back and turns towards another group of people to call them forward.

The Pharaoh laughs as he finally brushes back the lock of hair that had fallen, feeling his new wife trembling. "Why are you shaking?" he asks her quietly. "Because I'm afraid." She tells him, her voice quivering. "Afraid that I'll wake up; that this will all have been just a dream." She lets out a reserved laugh. "Maybe I should pinch myself." She says. "Maybe you should." The Pharaoh agrees. She releases his hand and moves it towards her other arm, the one that had been tied to his by the ribbon which had since been removed. He stops it, taking both her hands in one of his. Lifting her chin with the other, he looks into her eyes, and for the first time the jewels of sapphire looked back, before he closed his mouth over hers once more.

As he had the night he had spoken with her on the balcony he pulled her into him, and he could hear the crowds cheering and music begin playing behind them as he dipped her backwards, her arms going about his neck as he once more supported her. Finally he stood her up and released her, their noses touching as their heads rested against the other's.

Siamun congratulated them, shaking their hands as they beamed at him. He put a new, fancier crown on the Pharaoh, thumping him on the back and messing up his hair. "You old rascal!" He told him lightly as the Pharaoh laughed once more. "And now, you have to look like the Queen." He said to her, as he picked something up off a ruby colored pillow. He fastened it so that a small oval, blue-green gem stood on the center of her forehead, two thin chains of gold wrapping around her brow until they met in the back. "This is _your_ crown." He tells her. "It suits you well." he says. "Thank you." She says to him, lightly touching the cool, smooth stone that was set in gold.

The Pharaoh beckoned to another person, who brought with them a small box. "I have a present for you myself." He tells her. "But, I've nothing to give to you." She says nervously. "It doesn't matter." The Pharaoh says. "Someone told me that you gave away something very precious to you in effort to keep your home." He says as he opens the box. "I hope this might help." He says, taking out a lovely necklace. The gem in it is like the one in her crown, set in gold. It was in the shape of an upside down teardrop, the round top thinning down into the point. Two thin golden chains met at its top, twisting around each other in a tight double helix. She gasps as she looks at it. "It's beautiful." She tells him. "And if you look in the middle, you'll see that the Earth saw fit to grace it with a heart."

She did look, and in the middle there _was_ the image of a heart. Swirls and splotches of slightly darker blue-green met together in the middle, their unconnected spacing outlining the shape of a heart. She held her hair as he went behind her, drawing it about her slender neck and locking its clasp for her. "You shouldn't have-" she tells him. "It must have cost a fortune." She states. "I was only returning it to its rightful owner." He tells her as she turns to face him. "You mean…" she says, her hand going to the jewel at her throat. "This couldn't be…" He nods and chuckles as he sees her surprised expression. "I only had them cut, clean it up, and set it." He tells her. "That's the same one you had before."

She smiled up at him and leaned up to kiss him as he took her hands in his again. He smiled. "I hope you'll be doing that a lot more."

They descended the platform, smiling and hand in hand as they walked down the aisle towards the entrance. Siamun followed after them, joined by her parents. The Pharaoh's friends took up the next small section before the people of Egypt began filing out.

They sat in the large courtyard of the palace, tables filled with fine food that had been prepared stretching throughout. There were festivals in the streets, music everywhere. They laughed as they sat together and feasted, watching performers perform and musicians play. Many guests were in attendance as the Pharaoh had invited anyone who wished to come to do so, and the people danced, they joining them sometimes.

They ate and drank and danced and laughed until the moon had long been in the sky. Finally they left the party, merrily walking together as they talked about the day. They said goodnight to his friends and her parents who were remaining, the celebration still going on. They passed by her suite and walked to the Pharaoh's room together.

Right as they reached it he lifted her up of her feet as she laughed, carrying her over to his bed where he set her down. He climbed up with her sitting next to her, and he could see she, as he was, was slightly nervous.

He went behind her, massaging her back, his hands sliding up and down as he worked on the muscles, kissing her shoulders and neck. He moved his hands down her arms, removing the circlets about them, the rings on her fingers, and setting them aside. He laid her down as he felt her begin to relax, and slowly removed her dress.

He gazed at her, he fair skin soft as he ran a finger down her side. She looked up at him. "Now you see me how I am," she said. "Without anything to hide any faults you might see with your eyes." She hesitated, and he knew she was not speaking of her body (which he could not find a fault with), but of the walls she no longer built around herself, allowing him to see into the innermost chambers of her heart. "Do you still think I'm pretty?" she posed, a quick, hopeful smile playing across her nervous face that waited for his reply.

"No," he told her, and she looked away quickly, hurt registering across her face. He turned her back towards him, her chin in his hand. "I think you're beautiful." He said, and closed his mouth atop hers.

.:. "What's the matter, Wheeler? Worried 'cause you're gonna lose?" Mai says as her Harpie destroys another of Joey's monsters. "Not quite, Mai." Joey says. "I'll place these two cards face down, and end my turn." Joey fumbles with the cards trying to get them in their slots as he tries to maintain upright. _"Man, I really wore myself out in that last duel."_ He says as he places a hand to his eyes, trying to clear his head of the double vision.

"Then Harpie, attack his scapegoat!" Mai says on the other side of the field as the monster attacks, followed by two more. They effectively remove his scapegoats and drain him of some life points. However he plays his face down card on the last one and shields himself from the attack.

"Basic dueling. I don't know how I ever even bothered with you before." Mai says condescendingly from the other side of the field. "It worked, didn't it?" he said. "Mai, can't you remember anything?" he asks her. "We had such good times. Did none of that matter to you?" "We never had good times." She says tersely. "Make your move."

"Of course we did." Joey says. "We used to hang out together. Remember how Yugi won your stars back for you? And then how you gave me that card?" Mai is quiet as she seems to remember, not so angry for the moment. "We made that candy bar soup around that fire. And then you gave us a ride around the town that time. We even saved your life from that scuzzball." " Stop trying to mess with my mind!" she shouts, shaking her head. "This wouldn't be happening if it weren't for you! The only 'scuzzball' I've met is you." Mai says. "Now go."

Joey sighs. "Fine, Mai." He tells her. "I never thought that thing on your forehead could control you so much. I guess the Mai we knew really is gone, just like you said." "Just go!" she yells at him, frustrated. "I place my Panther warrior in defense mode, and two cards face down." Joey says. "That ends my turn."

Mai destroys his Panther warrior. Joey stumbles as the next Harpie comes to attack him, falling as it hits its mark. He attempts to get to his feet, but can't. "Come on Wheeler, what're you doing?" Mai asks him after witnessing his fruitless efforts. "I'm…ready." He says, finally making his way to half standing. "Fine then, this will finish you off! Harpie Lady," she begins but stops as Joey falls onto his side on the floor. "What is it? Wimping out now that you've lost?" she calls to him. "You're not fooling anyone!" she yells.

After he is silent for a few more seconds she says, "Joey?" the softer look she had gotten in her eyes when he was stirring memories returning. "Joey!" she shouts rushing over to him and lifting his head. "You got your wish Mai." He tells her. "No…" she says, tears forming in her eyes. "I'm just…glad to have you back." Joey says looking at her. "But Joey," She says. "You're still in this. I never played the card." "I'm too worn out." Joey explains to her. "I can't keep up. You win, Mai" Joey says as the seal comes to take him. "Joey no, don't go!" she says, but he is already gone.

As her tears hit the rooftop, the green crystal around her neck shatters. "I'll get you back." She says, after setting him against the fence, having done the same for Valin. "I've got a fight to pick with someone." She says. "Don't worry. I'm going to get you back."

She hops on her bike and speeds off then, leaving the two behind.

.:. She awoke the next morning, her head resting on the Pharaoh's chest as sunlight streamed in through the windows. She smiled as she felt his arm strong around her waist. She nuzzled into him and closed her eyes as he was still sleeping. She breathed in the way he smelled, thoughts coming back to her from the day before. She sighed happily as she sat up and looked at him.

"You're so beautiful." She whispered, knowing he couldn't hear her as she brushed one of his blonde bangs out of his face. She placed a soft kiss on his forehead before lying back down on her side, tucking her body against his, her head once more resting on his bare chest. Lightly she traced his abs with a finger. He had such strong muscles. Sometimes when he was holding her she felt so small because of them.

The Pharaoh sighed as he awoke and turned towards her, his eyes opening. "Good morning, my husband" she said looking at him. "Good morning, my wife." He said, grinning. "Did you sleep well?" she asks him. "Very well." he says and the two of them laugh. She sits up and stretches a little, the Pharaoh just waking up. "Are you hungry?" she asks. "Only for you." He says, pulling her down and giving her a kiss before holding her around the waist and kissing her neck. "I didn't mean me." She said, though she did not try and pull away.

"But you taste better than anything I know." He says. "And I could say the same." She tells him, turning so that she faces him and kissing him on the tip of his nose. She giggles and he smiles.

"Would you like me to have them bring something up?" he asks her, the two of them lying down again. "No." she says. "We can go down. I'm still not used to having people wait on me like that." "Alright then." The Pharaoh says, and they sit up after resting for a small while more.

Looking around she asks, blushing, "Where's the rest of my dress? Do you know?" "Where you'll never find it." He says darkly. "Mwahahaha!" "I need it." She tells him. "I can't walk around like this." She says. "I don't mind it." He tells her. "I wouldn't think you would." She says lightly poking him. "But I need it. At least so that I can get to my room and change. I don't plan on wearing my wedding dress everyday."

"Of course not!" the Pharaoh says. "That is why I had them make you others." He says, handing her another small package. "What's this?" she asks him, opening it.

She gasps as she takes it out of the box. Again it was made of the softest material. She noted that it was sleeveless but had fans that were attached to small bands of fabric that would go around her arms. There was a small one that went from her upper arm to her elbow, and a larger one that went from her elbow to her wrist. She remembered remarking to them that she liked the fans on her dress once, and was touched that he'd thought to have them added.

"It's wonderful." She tells him as she continues looking at it. She laughed as she saw the slit up the side again. "You can use everything you wore yesterday with that too." The Pharaoh says. "Those items you can wear everyday." He tells her. "You spoil me so much already." She tells him, her eyes shining as she looks up at him. "Thank you so much."

"It's about time someone did." He tells her as he gives her a quick kiss on top of her head. "Try it on." She does and it fits perfectly. He nods as she says so. "They used the same measurements from your wedding dress, so I figured it would fit. I just wanted to make sure."

They went down to breakfast in the dining hall and saw Siamun already seated. "Hello." He said, smiling at the two of them. "Sleep well?" he asked and she blushed. "Yes, very well." he said. She noticed all the empty chairs and wondered where she was supposed to sit. "You sit here." The Pharaoh said, noticing the confusion in her eyes and pulled out a chair for her towards the top of the table. "Right next to me." He said as he took the large chair at the front.

Servants came and began placing trays in front of them. One came and laid her plate in front of her and filled her glass with wine. "Oh, thank you." She said. When the Pharaoh began to sample from the trays she did the same.

A few minutes later his friends arrived as well, taking their usual seats. "You're in my seat." One of them said, tapping her on the shoulder. "Oh!" she says. "I'm sorry, I didn't know." She says, standing to move. She glances down the table to see the seats are filled except for the one at the very end. She starts walking towards it feeling sheepish when she hears the Pharaoh call out to her. "Where are you going?" he asks her. "I was in the seat of one of your friends, so I was going to-" "Don't be silly. You're my Queen." "I'm not hungry anymore anyway." She tells him. "I don't mind. I'll go upstairs." "Stay." He tells her. "You can sit next to me. They don't mind, right?" The Pharaoh says, looking to his friends. " 'Course not!" they say again as the one leads her back to the seat. "I would never take the seat if I knew you wanted to sit there." He told her. "Thank you…" she says, not sure if she believed him as he was gripping her arm rather tightly.

She seated herself again and listened as his advisor began speaking. Siamun was sitting across from her and he smiled at her. "Well, it's time for our riddles. Anyone have any?" he said. "come on, Siamun, yours are always best." The Pharaoh says. "You know so. So start us off, won't you?"

"Very well then." He says. "Let's start with an easy one. What crawls on the ground and clings to the pillars?" The Pharaoh's eyes twinkle as he figures out the answer. Down the table his friends come up with a chorus of "Easy? That's supposed to be easy?" and "You don't know the meaning of that word."

"It isn't all that difficult" he says, crossing his arms. Alyssa fumbles with her utensils. "Do you know?" he asks her, remembering that she was supposed to enjoy such things. "Well, I think I might know the answer." She says slowly. "Care to venture a guess at my puzzle?" Siamun asks her from across the way. "Go ahead." The Pharaoh tells her. "Well…I thought it might be a…a shadow." She says, reaching for her glass. "Correct!" Siamun says across the way. She smiles back at the Pharaoh as she sees him looking at her, pleased. However she tries to ignore the stony faces that await her at the other end of the table.

"Let's have another." The Pharaoh says. "Always hungry and needing fed. The finger I lick will soon turn red. What am I?" "Fire." She said immediately. "Ohoh. I can see I'm going to have to step it up a level with you, my Queen." He tells her. "Alyssa is fine." She tells him. "I'd rather you not call me that." She says. "You see how I feel." The Pharaoh whispers into her ear. "I see…Yami." She tells him, taking another sip from her glass. "Yami?" one of the people asks her. "Well…yes." She says. "Atemu just sounds so formal, and I've heard you all call him that before. He tells me he doesn't want me to call him by his title, but if he does…" she says nervously, looking at him. "No, it's fine." He tells her. "I like that best anyway." He says. "So Yami, then." She says.

"Care to try another?" he asks her. "Of course." She says, eager to get off the subject. "The person who makes it doesn't use it, the person who pays for it doesn't want it, and the person who uses it doesn't know it. What am I?" he says. She thinks. "Do you know the answer?" the Pharaoh asks. "A tomb." She says. "Correct." Siamun says beaming at her.

"Should any of you run into a sphinx this should help." He says. "What has four legs at dawn, three legs at noontime, and three at the end of the day?" More people mumble and grumble at the end of the table. "Ask the know-all up there." One of them says and the group sniggers. The Pharaoh shoots them a look and they stop. Siamun looks expectantly at her. "Let someone else answer." She tells him, not wanting to play anymore. "Does anyone else know it?" Siamun says looking down the table as the rest are quiet. "No volunteers?" he asks. "Pharaoh?" "I believe I know it." He tells him. "But I would like to see if my Queen does as well."

He knew he was calling her that so they would leave her alone, but it still sounded strange to her ears to have herself addressed as such. "A man." She says quietly, taking another sip of her wine. "Hmm?" Siamun asks her. "I couldn't hear you."

"A man." She says louder. "It appears we have a King of Games and Queen of Puzzles." Siamun says, acknowledging her answer accurate. "How could the answer be a man?" someone says sitting in the middle of the table. "Last time I checked, I had two legs."

"That is because you are at noon." The Pharaoh tells him. "It's only morning." His friend says. "No," the Pharaoh explains. "The times of day represent the stages of life. When you are a babe you crawl on your hands and knees, or four legs. When you grow older, you learn how to stand and walk on only two. And when you grow old, some need a staff or other form of support to help them along, and that acts as the third leg. Understand?"

"Yeah. Sure." His friend says, crossing his arm grumpily. The Pharaoh laughs good heartedly. "You will understand it later, I am sure, when you aren't thinking about it so much." He tells him. "Just hope you never run into a sphinx." Siamun tells him. Some of them laugh. "Ha ha." The one says, offended. "Why don't we have her tell the riddles? It's not hard to answer them. Let's see her make one."

"I remind you you didn't get a single one." Siamun tells him crossly. He ignores him and reaches for an apple. "No, it's alright." She says. "Let me think of one for a second." She says. She hears him bite into his apple again. _"That'll work."_ She says.

"I have no windows and no doors, but inside of me a star is born. What am I?" she asks him. In her head she says _"I'm sometimes red or green or golden, in fact I'm exactly what you're holding."_ She laughs privately at the thought. _"That's an easy one. I'm sure he'll get it."_

"What?" he says, setting his apple down on his plate. "How can you have anything inside something with no doors or windows?" he asks. "Even a star?" "The answer's right in front of you." She says hinting to him. "Just take a step back and you'll see." She hears the Pharaoh and Siamun chuckle as they pick up on it. She blushes and takes a sprig of grapes from a plate, eating a few while she waits.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" the man asks her, taking another bite from his apple. "Tell us the answer."

"I don't want to." She says, nervously, looking at Yami for a way out. "Ha! That's because there is no answer!" he says. "It's a trick since you couldn't come up with a riddle."

"No, there is." She tells him. "Perhaps you should take another minute to-" "Just say the answer already." He says, irritated. She looks at the Pharaoh and he nods. Slumping down in her chair she mumbles.

"An apple."

At this his friends double over with laughter, the man getting red and furious. "How is that an apple?" he asks. "It's simple, really." She tells him, taking an apple from a nearby tray. "When you have an apple and you cut it like this…" she says, demonstrating. "The seeds in the middle form the shape of a star. See?" she says, holding it up so he can see. "That's stupid." He says. "I can't believe you'd ask something like that. "I asked it because I thought you'd get it. It was one I learned when I was a child." She said.

"I've had enough of this." He says, pushing his chair back. It falls over on itself as he stands and pushes it in and his friends laugh again. "I really thought he'd get it." She says, looking at her cup.

"It's alright." Yami says. "I'll go and talk to him." He gets up and exits after his friend. A few minutes later he returns, his friend still angry but at least calmed down. "I think that is enough of the game." He tells Siamun quietly as he seats himself again.

They continue on and after a while, when all are filled, they get up. The rest of the day went well, as did the day after that and the day after that.

In fact, it wasn't until six months later that they began to have trouble in paradise.


	26. Chapter 26

.:.The dragon card the Pharaoh holds in his hand glows with a shining light as they walk. "It must mean Joey's nearby." He says, as they follow it. The light grows brighter when pointed in some directions, so they watch for the brightest light and use it to guide them thus.

It stops glowing suddenly, as they reach a street. Looking up they see the green light of the Seal atop a building. "Joey!" the Pharaoh says and they begin running towards the structure.

They hear a motorbike zoom off. "Oh no!" Tea says. "You don't think...?" She asks. "Let's just keep going." The Pharaoh says. Finally they reach the building and climb to the top. "Oh no!" they shout as they see them.

Lying against the fence rest Joey and Valin. "Joey." They say, walking over to him. "I think it's pretty clear what happened here." The Pharaoh says, looking at Valin a few feet away. "Yeah, Joey beat Valin and Mai beat Joey." Tristan says. "I can't believe she's turned on us!"

"She's just…not herself." Tea says, pained as she looks at Joey's unconscious form. "Either way, now we have to get back Joey _and_ Yugi." The Pharaoh announces. "No better time then the present." Alyssa says. "Let's go." The Pharaoh says in agreement as he picks up Joey's dragon card, the claw of Hermos, from the ground. "I'll get Joey." Tristan says, bending over and picking up his fallen comrade.

They walk towards the office where they knew they would find Dartz. They heard a car behind them and rushed to the sides as it screeched to a halt. "Wow, nice ride!" Tristan says, gawking at the convertible. "It must have cost a fortune!" he said. "Not for me." Kaiba says, getting out of the car. "What are you all doing here?" he asks. "We should be asking you that same question." Tea says. "Especially since you were heading here first." She tells him.

"I had a few things I had to do first." He says. "I see Wheeler ran into a bit of trouble." He said nodding at the unconscious body. "You have to believe us now." The Pharaoh says. "I believe nothing." Kaiba says. "He just fainted. It's not something I wouldn't expect from such an underdog." Kaiba says. "C'mon, Mokuba." Seto says. "Mokuba?" he says, looking around when he isn't answered.

"Seto!" he hears a block over. "Mokuba!" he shouts, running towards the sound. In the next street he can see Mokuba being chased by another one of the evil creatures. "That's what we were telling you about earlier!" Tea shouts to the Pharaoh. "Kaiba! You have to use your cards!" the Pharaoh calls out to him. "XYZ Canon!" Seto shouts, slamming the cards down onto his duel disk needed to create the monster. It appears and blasts away the other creature. "C'mon, Mokuba. You need to get out of here." Seto says, taking his younger brother's hand.

"Seto, that might be a problem." He says, as creatures began appearing everywhere, coming at them from the streets, standing on the rooftops, some even coming from the ground. Kaiba grits his teeth as he tries to shield his brother behind him. "Celtic Guardian! Dark Magician Girl!" They hear, and the Pharaoh's cards spring to life and fly to them, creating a path. "This way!" he shouts and they flee down the small aisle the monsters created.

"You can't run from all of them." Tea says. "No, but you can. You all, get out of here." He tells them. "We'll take care of them." He finishes. "But-" Tea begins. "For once I think he's right, Tea." Alyssa says. "C'mon Mokuba. Let's get you out of here." She says, taking his hand. "If anything happens to my brother," Seto warns. "He'll be fine." She says. "Now come on, we need to go."

They run out the quickly narrowing aisle into the next street. The Pharaoh and Seto end up back to back as the creatures encircle them. "Go!" they shout as they release a number of monsters. Swiftly they go through the hordes, cutting them down. "Cut a path back to the group!" the Pharaoh shouts. The group of monsters nod in agreement and redirect their attacks towards the alleyway they had entered through. The pair runs down the street, most of the monsters gone but more still appearing.

They turn into the other street and see with horror that another throng of the creatures have accumulated there. In the corner near a fire escape Tea and Alyssa stand in front of a terrified Mokuba. Tristan holds Joey on his back underneath, standing behind with the frightened child.

"Pharaoh!" she shouts, seeing him enter the alleyway as she dodges the blow of one of the monsters, trying to kick it back. "We could use a little help!" Alyssa says, dodging again.

"Fang of Critias!"

"Eye of Timeaus!"

They shout as the dragons sweep into the sky. Their beams rack the ground as they destroy the gathering of Orycalcos Soldiers. Circling the city street a few times, they finish wiping out all of the dark beasts and return to the decks of their masters.

"Are you all alright?" the Pharaoh says as Seto and he join them. "I think we're all fine." Alyssa says, surveying the group. "Mokuba!" Seto says. "Seto!" his younger brother shouts, running to him. "Are you alright?" He asks. "I'm fine." Mokuba says as he hugs his brother tightly.

"Well now that that's over," Alyssa begins, relieved. "We can start to worry about that." Tea says, her eyes wide as she points down the street. "What is that?" Tristan says. "Doesn't matter, get up!" Kaiba shouts. "You first, Tea." Tristan says, as they all brace their arms together to act as a support. "Push down the ladder!" Tristan tells her. "It's…stuck!" she says as she tries.

"You next." The Pharaoh says to Alyssa. "But Pharaoh," "Now!" he commands her and she jumps up, climbing over the rail. "Take Mokuba!" Kaiba says, handing him up. Alyssa reaches down and pulls him over as Tea continues struggling with the ladder. "I can't get it!" she says again. "Here Pharaoh, I'll give you a boost." Tristan says as the Pharaoh plants a foot in the middle of his interlocked fingers, hopping onto the fire escape. Meanwhile, Kaiba did a fancy kick off the wall, allowing him to effectively jump up. Together they push down the ladder.

"Hurry!" the Pharaoh calls as the mass gets closer. Tristan huffs his way up the stairs carting Joey on his back. "Slowpoke" Kaiba says. "Let's see you do that again carrying this." Tristan says to him.

They haul up the ladder just in time as a million and one rats run underneath them. "…Rats?" Mokuba says. "I think I'm gonna faint." Tea says, turning pale. "If you fall, I'm not goin down to get you." Tristan informs her and she backs away from the railing. "What I'm wondering is what it is they are running from." The Pharaoh says, and all are quiet.

Finally the rats have moved out from underneath them. They push down the ladder for the fire escape. Alyssa leans against the ailing, her face slightly pale. "Are you alright?" the Pharaoh says, coming over to her. "I'm fine." She mumbles. "I just have a headache."

The Pharaoh sighs. "I know what you mean." He says, rubbing his own temples. "We're almost there though." She says, standing. "Just a little bit more and we'll have Yugi back."

"Yes," the Pharaoh says, happily. "Almost." He echoes. He watches as she begins toward the fire escape ladder. "Are you sure you're not going to have a problem going down?" he asks. "Of course not, my Lord." She tells him. "So long as I take it one step at a time." Still, he reaches out and steadies her as she wobbles momentarily. "That must be one monster headache you have." He says, feeling his own worsening. "You have no idea." She mumbles.

They all look up at the logo on the building, pushing a button that will open the elevator doors before them. "Who puts an elevator right at the front?" Tristan asks. "I mean, seriously." He says. The doors open, and a figure falls out on them, unconscious, as feathers drift downward from the fog in the lift.

"Mai." The Pharaoh says, catching her lifeless form.

.:. _"There he is."_ Alyssa thinks to herself as she spies the Pharaoh in the outdoor stadium. She'd expected to find him here, playing with his friends. _"He loves these games." _She says to herself as she watches him defeat his opponent's monster. _"He seems to be pretty good at them too, my King of Games."_ She tells herself with a smile.

She waits near the doors of the arena until she sees they are finished. _"I wouldn't want to distract him"_ she thinks. Finally she begins making her way towards them, as they are at the far side of the arena, on the last court. She assumed that his pals must have been playing other games earlier as well, so he took the last one.

As she has walked half the distance she hears a growl from behind her. She turns and sees a large creature that looks as if it were part dragon and bird. _"I could have sworn that they were finished!" _ She tells herself as she stares up at the giant animal, backing away from the creature slowly. It swipes out a claw at her and she turns, bolting terrified towards the covered walkway.

She dodges another swing of the monsters arm as she desperately tries to outrun the huge beast. It takes aim at her again. This time, though she dodges the brunt of the attack, the monster's hand catches her arm, slicing it with its razor sharp claws.

She lands a few feet away, backing against a pillar as she holds her arm tightly to try and slow the bleeding. She braces herself expecting its fist to plow into her, but it never comes. Instead she hears another voice. "By all the power of the millennium puzzle, I summon Obelisk, the Tormentor!"

A green fist appears from a portal as the large being takes place. "Now, Obelisk, destroy this outsider!" the Pharaoh shouts. The green giant makes a fist of its own, punching the wayward animal. It flickers momentarily before disappearing.

"Are you alright?" Yami says, rushing over to her and kneeling beside her on the ground. "I'm fine." She says. "It merely cut my arm is all." She says. "I'll go back to clean it up." She states, beginning to stand. "No, stay still." The Pharaoh says. "Let me see that." He says, concerned. "No, it's not that bad, really." She says turning away, but he removes her hand covering her arm.

From the top of her shoulder to her elbow runs a long, deep gash, smaller scratches to its side. It is bleeding badly, and is clearly littered with dirt from when she fell. "Oh, baby.' He says, removing his cape and tying it about her arm. "We're taking that to a doctor."

"I don't need a doctor." She says, pushing away his hands. "I know how to take care of such things myself." She says, beginning to stand again. "You needn't worry so much about it."

"You are still having that looked at." He says. "Fine." She tells him. "I'll have someone look at it. Go back to your matches. I know you enjoy them." "This is a little more important than a game" he says. "Besides, if I let you leave alone you won't go. I'm coming with you." He tells her. "Fine." She says. "Your being ridiculo-woah! Yami, it's my arm that's hurt, not my legs!" she says as he picks her up. "Put me down." She says, poking his chest lightly. "But I don't want to." he says and she sighs as he carries her off to the live in doctor at the palace.

Later that night she lies in bed, a thick bandage wrapped all along her upper arm. She lays against the Pharaoh, as she usually does, her head on his bare chest and tucked tightly against him, his arm about her waist as he lays on his back.

However, tonight she can not stop tossing and turning in her sleep. It begins lightly at first, a mere turn or two, but quickly accelerates into much worse. The Pharaoh awakens after a soft nudge or two in the side. Looking over he sees her restlessly moving about, constantly changing position.

Softly he reaches over and pulls her into a hug while she sleeps. "It's okay." He whispers to her. "It's just a dream" he says, running his fingers through her hair. "Shh…" he says, calming her. After about five minutes she lays still, and the Pharaoh lays back down.

It is only a short while later when he is reawakened by her fitful sleep. Now worried, he tries to wake her as her movements become more profound and agitated. "It's okay." He continues. "You're dreaming. Wake up." He tells her, but she does not respond. She keeps tossing and turning, tossing and turning in her troubled rest. He continues, becoming more alarmed as time passes and she does not react to his efforts. "Alyssa, it's alright." He tries. Quickly he reaches over and catches her, her panicked movements as her nightmare progresses almost causing her to fall off the bed. "It's alright." He says, anxious as he holds her sitting up and she continues her thrashing. "Wake up." He says. "It's only a nightmare. It's just a dream." He says, quickly, trying to reassure her while she will not wake. Her distressed movements cause her to almost hit him a few times. The Pharaoh takes control of her arms which still jerk within his. "It's alright." He tells her. "Wake up." He continues as he rubs her back, trying to soothe her.

She swivels around quickly in his arms, whimpering slightly as her face contorts into one of pain and anguish. "Come on, wake up." He tells her. "It's alright, you're only dreaming.' He says. She moves faster and faster until he feels he is shouting for her to wake up, trying to have her hear him when suddenly her eyes open and she stops.

She collapses against him, shaking, as he wraps his arms around her and kisses the top of her head. "Shh, shh…" he whispers to her as he feels her tremble, her breathing ragged from the aftermath of the nightmare. "It was just a nightmare." He tells her. "It was only a dream. Shh…" he says, stroking her hair as he calms her. "It was horrible." She sputters out to him. _"I'll bet." _He thinks. "Shh…" he continues. "It was just a dream."

"It was just a dream." She whispers, hiding her face in him. "What was it about?" he asks her a few moments later when she is still trembling. "I don't know." She whispers. "I don't even know. I can't remember."

.:. The mist egresses out of the elevator and floats down to the floor, spreading out like a cloud among their feet. The Pharaoh holds Mai's unconscious body still before laying her against the wall for support.

"Hello, Pharaoh." He hears across the way. Raphael stands, his duel disk out, and large white wings from behind him. They flap and a few of the feathers they had seen earlier fly off them and gently float to the floor.

"Raphael." The Pharaoh says, turning towards him. "So glad to see you remember me." Raphael says, an evil grin brandished across his face. "It would be hard to forget." The Pharaoh says, referring to what had happened. "Not like your life in Egypt, huh?" Raphael digs at him. "That is not pertinent to this right now." He tells him.

"That's right. I don't know how you managed to escape me the last time, Pharaoh, but I assure you it's not going to happen again. I'm gogin to have your soul." "Is that what you did to Mai?" Tristan asks. "you took her soul too?" "She had it coming to her." He says.

"You're so desperate for people to fuel this Great Beast that you would even take one of your own?" the Pharaoh says. "She wasn't one of us." He says tersely. "What do you mean by that?" Tea asks. "Yeah, I'd say she was out to get us." "Not when she came in here looking for Master Dartz. I taught her some respect finally." He tells the group. "By stealing her soul?" The Pharaoh repeats. "She deserved it." He says.

"And why would she deserve something like that?" Mokuba's little voice squeaked. "Comin' in here raising in uproar about that Wheeler kid. Apparently he'd finally been taken and she wanted him back." The group gasps as they hear this. "Don't worry. They're together where they are now." He says, chuckling.

"And soon you'll be joining them too, Pharaoh." He tells Yami, extending his arm as his sickle shaped duel disk activates. "It's time to duel." "I'll accept your challenge." The Pharaoh says activating his disk. "But Pharaoh!" he hears Alyssa say. "If he pulls that card…you could-" "I'm not going to make the same mistake twice." He tells her. "You needn't worry." "I'll always worry for you, my Lord." She tells him. Her cheek tingles were his fingers touch as he reaches out and brushes some of her hair behind her ear. "But you shouldn't." he says, and turns away.

"Raphael, I'm going to open you're heart tonight." He announces to him. "As a friend did for me. Perhaps then you'll see the folly in what you are doing and change your ways." "I don't need your help." Raphael says as he draws his cards. "I will purify this world of its evil spirits, and to do that I will be ridding it of you." "I think you will find otherwise before the night is over, Raphael." The Pharaoh remarks to him while activating his duel disk. "But as you wish. Let's do this."

He draws his own hand and Raphael begins the fight. "I'll start by playing my Guardian Caest." He says. "And I'll also play my Guardian Grarrl." He places his card onto his disk as the monsters appear on the playing field. "That's it for now." He says. _"The same ones as last time" _the Pharaoh thinks. He looks at his own hand. "I'll call to the field my Queen's knight." He says, and the imposing woman appears, her sword and shield in hand. "And next I'll call upon my Magical Elf." He says, "In defense mode."

The other creature appears, her head bent as she kneels on the field. "Heh." Raphael says. "Is that the best you can offer? At this rate, I'll have you beaten even faster than I beat your little partner." He taunts him_. "So he doesn't know it was me." _Yami says to himself._ "Well, I might use that information later on." _He thinks, storing it away.

"I would never put my best in show at out the beginning." The Pharaoh says. "You'll just have to wait." "But not much longer." Raphael says. "I call to the field the sacred Seal of Orycalcos!"

The familiar green seal descends upon the building top, encasing it's occupants in an invisible dome. The bystanders back up as it expands towards them, pushing them away. The Pharaoh holds up an arm as the seal surrounds him, glaring across the way at Raphael. "That allows my Guardian Grarrl to attack your Queen's knight." He says. "Go!"

The burly monster rushes across the field, his hammer swinging into the Queen's knight, shattering her into a thousand shards. The Pharaoh grits his teeth as his life points go down a few hundred. "Unfortunately, I can't deal with that other pest you have just yet." Raphael says. "So instead I'll just place these two cards face down." He says. "Your move."

"Then I'll play my swordsman!" the Pharaoh says, and the monster he had used to win against Weevil appears on the field. "Attack his Guardian Caest!" he shouts, and the soldier springs forth, successfully defeating the other monster.

"And I'll bring her back by giving away a few of my life points!" Raphael says, playing the same card he had before to bring one of his monsters back from the graveyard. The same light shines as his counter decreases by five hundred, his monster returning to the field.

"Most of his cards rely on there being no cards in his graveyard." The Pharaoh reminds himself, thinking back to a few of the tricks he'd used in their last duel. "If I can just get one to stay in there, half his deck would be useless."

"Well C'mon Pharaoh." Raphael says. "Don't just stand there." "Don't worry, Raphael." The Pharaoh says, drawing another card. "Don't count me out of this yet." _"Or yourself either."_ He adds inwardly. "My move."

Seto, Mokuba, Tristan, Tea, and Alyssa watch the duel before them, cringing and cheering as one. Well, Tristan, Tea, Mokuba, and Alyssa at least. Seto leans against the wall, either trying to fall asleep or merely sitting back, his face stoic and unreadable. Joey and Mai rest against the wall, their bodies empty shells that had been left behind as their souls flew to the Orycalcos.

"It's time for you to examine the depths of your soul" the Pharaoh says halfway through the duel. "And I intend to help you by playing this." He says, showing Raphael the card. He places it on his duel disk and a thick smog billows inside the seal, the dome holding it in so that only the two adversaries experience it.

The Pharaoh's head swims as the mist clears. Finding himself in what appears to be a graveyard, he glances around for any sign of the others. Figuring he must be alone he begins walking. He reads the inscriptions and epithets as he travels down the rows of tombstones. "Why, these are monsters!" he says aloud as he continues on his way. "Berfomat…Celtic Guardian…" he gasps as he comes to the last one. "Dark Magician Girl."

He hears a sound from behind and turns to see Raphael looking at a younger version of himself, the way he appeared when he was a mere boy. "That's…me…" he says, astonished as he observes the young lad. The shadow of himself looks around before breaking into a run. "Come back!" he shouts, following in pursuit.

"No, Raphael, it might be dangerous!" the Pharaoh shouts as he sees him leave. He chases the two through the fog before coming to a halt next to the older of the two. "What's going on? Why are you here?" the Pharaoh asks him.

"This…was…the day I received my…" Raphael begins as he stares down at the vision of himself. "The day you received what?" the Pharaoh asks him. "Raphael!" he calls, but the man is lost in himself, entranced as he concentrates on his younger self.

"Why...why am I here?" the little Ralph asks, confused. Next to him stands Dartz, a hand on the young boy's shoulder. "You are here to find your future, Raphael." He says. "but, how am I going to do that?" he asks. "Take this." Dartz says, handing him his sickle shaped duel disk. "Take this, and use it to find your destiny."

They boy slips it onto his arm, fitting it so that it doesn't slip. "Listen to it. Feel it's power." The man continues. "What is it telling you?" "It's…telling me to go this way." Raphael says, walking towards whatever it is the duel disk is pulling him towards. He walks a few feet before the apparent spell breaks. "It's gone." He says to Dartz. "And there's nothing here." He says again, looking around.

"Have you tried looking beneath you?" Dartz asks him. The boy looks at his feet and sees he is standing on a mound of dirt. He gets to his knees and takes a handful, watching as it slips through his fingers and falls back to the ground. Suddenly he casts it away, his arms moving quicker and quicker as he tries to push more and more dirt out of the way.

"Yes…yes, dig out your destiny." Dartz eggs him on, leading him towards that which is concealed within. "What was it, Raphael?" the Pharaoh tries again. "What did he make you dig up that day?" Raphael watches his former self, still spellbound by what he was seeing. Finally he stops, removing a card from the bottom.

"It's a card." He says, standing up and walking over to Dartz, holding it out to him. "No no, my dear boy." Dartz says to him. "That's yours now. It belongs to you, and the other way around." "I don't understand." Raphael says, looking at the card and scratching his head. "He is you, deep down inside." Dartz says to him. "That is your grief, your anger, your despair, loneliness, sadness longing and hate." He says, his voice growing louder with each word. "Say hello to your newest Guardian!"

A monster springs up through the dirt holding a scythe in it's hands." "I don't like it!" Raphael says, backing away in fear. He turns as he hears his guardian scream. "Iatos, what is it?" he asks with wide eyes as he looks up and sees his tortured protector.

"You don't need him anymore, Raphael." Dartz says, placing his hands on the young boys shoulder. "You now own this." He says, turning him back to face the decaying skeleton. "Iatos?" he asks softly as he begins to see similarities. "No, Dread scythe." Dartz corrects him. "Now, join with it!" he tells him. "But-" "Now!" Dartz says and the monster reaches out, taking Raphael by the arm. He screams as Dartz holds up his index finger to the boys forehead, an image of the Orycalcos seal burning its way onto his forehead before disappearing.

"Congratulations." Dartz says as the exhausted child collapses onto his knees. "You've done it." He begins laughing as the mist clears. Looking across the field the Pharaoh sees Raphael put a hand to his head, shaking it, trying to clear it of the memories.

Meanwhile the gang had grown trouble at the length the mist shrouded the field. "What's going on in there?" Tea says. "I dunno." Tristan says as they circle the dome. "There has to be a way to get in somehow!" Alyssa says. "Not unless you want to try ramming into it there isn't." Tristan says. "And I don't think that option would work well either." He adds.

"What're you doing?" he asks her as she barrels her shoulder into the side. "The Pharaoh's in there!" she says, repeating the movement. "What if something bad were to happen?" she says, slamming into the Sea's walls again. "He could be hurt!" she says, continuing once more.

"You're gonna wear yourself out." Tristan says, stopping her. "But-" "He'll be fine." He says, noticing the worried expression in her eyes. "He's not going to make the same mistake twice." He tells her and she looks away. "He's not called the King of Games for nothing." Tea reminds her as she comes up from behind having overheard what was going on.

"It's just I…you don't understand!" Alyssa says, slumping down to the ground against the wall holding her head which was beginning to ache again. "I _can't_ leave him in there." She says. "Why not?" Tea asks. "I don't know." She says. "I don't know."

"Well sitting there like that isn't going to help him any either." Tristan says. "You just have to have a bit of confidence in him. He'll pull through." He says, giving her a thumbs up. "I know." She says. "That's not what I'm worried about."

"Then what?" Tea says again. "I…don't know." Alyssa repeats. "Well, don't hurt yourself trying to do something that can't be done." Tristan tells her as she stands up. "He wouldn't want you hurting yourself anyway." Tea says. She smiles and nods as they begin walking towards where thy left. "Look, the fog is clearing!"

They see the two standing. "Thank the Gods." They hear Alyssa say, leaning against the wall with relief. "I don't know what just happened." Raphael said as he slowly raised his head to look at the Pharaoh. "But you're going to pay for that."

"It was one of your memories, Raphael." The Pharaoh says. "It must have had some significance to you." "Be quiet!" Raphael says, slamming down a card again. "I play my Guardian Iatos! Attack!" he shouts as the creature flaps it's wings as it heads for the Pharaoh. "This card will reflect it's attack!" he says, raising one of his face down cards. "And mine will cancel out yours!" Raphael says, playing one of his as well. "Well than, this will shoot it back at you, with double force!" The Pharaoh says, revealing another card that he had left in store.

Raphael's eyes grow large as he sees his favorite Guardian and duel monster fly backward from the effect of the magic card. He disappears into thousands of fragments before they vanish altogether.

There is a rumble on the building as they all look around anxiously. All except for Raphael that is, who merely looks at the ground.

"Now you've done it." He says to the Pharaoh, looking him in the eyes. "Done what?" the Pharaoh asks, staring back at him evenly. "Prepare to meet that which appears when Iatos falls, the terror that lurks within my deck. It summons itself automatically to the field. I have no power over it."


	27. Chapter 27

.:. The Pharaoh walks in to the room of his wife's suite. Though she had always slept with him at night after they'd been married, he'd told her she still retained the suite he'd given to her when he'd invited her to live at the palace the day she lost her home. There he finds her, lying on the bed, her back to him as he approaches.

"Why are you here?" he asks her, placing his hands on her shoulder as she turns to look at him. "My nightmares keep waking you up. I thought you might like to actually get some sleep tonight." She tells him, looking away again. "Don't be silly." He tells her. "You're not-" "Yes I am, Yami." She tells him. "Every night, for the past five days. You have circles under your eyes. When I'm not thrashing around you're worrying about me. And when you're not worrying about me I'm keeping you up with my nightmare."

"I still don't know what's causing them." She mumbles as she plants her face in her pillow. "That doesn't matter." The Pharaoh says, turning her towards him again. "I don't mind that. We'll figure it out. Come on." He says, his hand tilting her chin up at him.

"No." she says, burrowing deeper under the covers. "You need your sleep." She tells him. "Arg…" he groans as he hops onto her bed and lays next to her. "I'm serious." She tells him. "Come on." He repeats, pulling the covers down. "No." she says shortly and wriggles away.

"I don't care if I have to pick you up and carry you out of here, you're not going to stay here." He tells her. "And you know I'll do it too." "But Yami…" she groans. "But nothing." He tells her. "I have other ways of making you come too, you know." He says as he sees her take hold of the edge of the bed to thwart any attempts at removing her.

"Such as?" she asks, not even turning to look at him. He wiggles a finger in her side and smiles as he sees her scrunch up. "That's not fair." She tells him, still grasping the side of the bed. "Oh? What's not fair?" he says as he repeats the deed behind her knee. "Yami stop." She says, pushing her face into the bed to keep from laughing and losing her grip.

"I know all the spots." He says, flitting a finger along the back of her neck. "I know every inch of you, all your weaknesses." He tells her. "Stop tickling me." She says as he does so on her tummy. "That's not fair. Stop it!" she tells him trying to swat away one of his hands and quickly returning it to the edge of the bed.

He rolls her onto her back and begins to tickle her everywhere "Stop it!" she says laughing as he continues to do so. "You're …ticklish too, I remind you." She says making a stab for his own side but is stopped as he takes hold of her arm and begins tickling the underside of it.

"No!" she says giggling as he does so. "Yami stop!" she tells him as he places an arm under her to lift her up. "Too late." He says, raising her into the air and spinning around in a circle as she clings to him. "You're so bad." She tells him, still laughing a bit and swatting his arm playfully as he walks her to his room.

Later that night it happens again, just as she said it would. Finally after some time of trying to wake her she does, still trembling and quaking as the horrors of her night visions follow her in the shadows, out of the reach of her mind to grasp and identify them. Eventually her shallow and quick breathing slows and deepens as she settles into him, falling asleep. Again he slides a hand down her fine golden hair as he breathes into it.

"What's going on with you?" he asks as he looks at her face, still pale in her sleep.

.:. A dark hand breaks free of the ground, following it a mass of rotting hair and corpse. In its hands is a large scythe, and it lets out a sound like that of the ill-fated and suffering. The noise resounds throughout the rooftop square, as it stands. "Meet Guardian Dread Scythe." Raphael says as the Seal burns brightly on his forehead. "It is my worst monster, one that even I can not command." He says.

"It's so ugly." Tea says, wrinkling her nose at it. "Things would drop dead just by seeing it." She says. "It still is no match for my swordsman." The Pharaoh says, attacking the monster. "Well, that was…ea…sy…" Tristan begins but pauses as he sees the monster reemerge from the ground, stronger. "It's like those other things!" Tea says, referring to the monster from the desert circle again. "What is going on with your deck, Raphael?" the Pharaoh asks him as he sees a card fizzle out of Raphael's hand.

"I told you I have no control over it." He says. "It takes a card from my hand in return for its coming back to the playing field every time it is destroyed. It is automatically summoned, so long as there are cards in my hand it will always be here." He says.

"I see." The Pharaoh says, thinking to himself. "I'll lace this face down and end my turn." He announces to his opponent as the cards appear upside down on the field and remain still.

"Very well." Raphael says. "This is the beginning of your end, Pharaoh." He tells him. "Guardian Dread Scythe, off with the elf's head!" The monster bumbles forward, lifting its deadly weapon and striking the monster on the other side of the field. It breaks apart and departs from the field, the Pharaoh's life points safe as it was in defense mode.

"I need to think of a way to get rid of his cards." The Pharaoh tells himself, racking his brain for the answer. "But how?" "You're turn again, Pharaoh." Raphael says arrogantly. "You needn't remind me every turn, Raphael." The Pharaoh says to him.

"I'll place this facedown." The pharaoh says again. "And this I play now, which requires you to discard two of the cards in your hand." Rafael growls as he does so. "Anything else?" he asks the Pharaoh. "No." the Pharaoh says. "That's it, for this turn."

"That's it for every turn." He says. "I sacrifice my Guardian on the field." He says, and his monster disappears. The Pharaoh gasps as he sees this. "Why did you do that, Rafael?" he asks him plainly. "Because now with the more monsters I have in my graveyard, the more power my Dreadscythe gains."

The Pharaoh watched the attack points on the opposing monster rise and braces himself as he loses more life points to its attack. His monster was no longer on the field; it had been destroyed.

Each turn the pharaoh began to lose more life points as Raphael went out of control. He started sacrificing his guardians to the graveyard, all for the power of his dread scythe. Yami saw him go from wielding the power of the Orycalcos at its best to becoming another of the dark seal's tools.

It was his turn again now and he knew the card he needed to draw. _"Heart of the cards….don't let me down."_ He told himself. _"There's one card in my deck that is capable of bringing down that beast."_ The Pharaoh took a deep breath and placed his hand on the top of his deck. He pulled it out and looked at it.

"Why are you so pleased, Pharaoh?" Rafael says. "I wouldn't be smiling if I were about to lose my soul." "Well I wouldn't be either." The Pharaoh says. "So that must mean I'm not, am I?" Raphael just crossed his arms, waiting for the Pharaoh's move.

"Let's start things off with a little bit of magic." The pharaoh says. "And I'll use the card, Monster Reborn, to remove your Iatos from your graveyard, Raphael." Raphael started as he saw the majestic guardian monster return to the field. He looked as the light about it flew in front of the Pharaoh and awaited its orders.

"…Iatos." Raphael said quietly. "What's…what is he doing in my graveyard?" he asked, looking down at his hands. "At first you were in control, but than the power of the Orycalcos took you over." The Pharaoh tells him. "See what has become of your monsters! Raphael, you used to stop at nothing to make sure that they were never left for dead. Now look, sacrificing them for the power of the seal."

"That's not true!" Raphael shouts. "I did not sacrifice them for power!" "Oh?" the pharaoh says. "Look at your monster."

And Raphael _did_ look at his decaying guardian, staring in horror as he comes to realize what he has done. "It's too late." He says to the Pharaoh. "I can't remove it from play." "That's why I will remove it for you." The Pharaoh says. "But…you can't. Even Iatos doesn't have enough power to stop it. It returns on its own will. It was meant so that it could never be destroyed."

"But not when I play this!" the Pharaoh says. "Allowing me access to one of your cards, and I choose the magical sword that donates the attack power from all those in the graveyeard!" Raphael's eyes widen as he sees allt he monsters from the graveyard go into the sword, their attack points even more than when he had used it against the Pharaoh.

"Now, Iatos, attack! Destroy the foul monster which feeds upon your master's heart!" Iatos glides into the sky and releases a beam from the sword, aimed at the Guardian dread scythe. IT is hit, and is reborn. The beam however does not stop. Raphael's jaw drops as the cards in his hand vanish. Finally, the dark monster is gone.

"It can not come back anymore." The Pharaoh tells him. "Iatos is on the field, and you have no more cards to sacrifice to its cause." He pauses a moment. "You are free."

"And…also…out of life points." Raphael says as the circle on his forehead glows. The larger one upon the ground glows brightly as it shrinks down to the man who has fallen upon your knees. "But Raphael, don't you see, you're free." "This is my punishment for the darkness within my own heart." Raphael says. "No, Raphael, fight it!" the Pharaoh tells him. "You have cleansed your heart of its wrong doing. The seal was merely clouding your mind, as it did mind. Look at your monsters. Do they not seem happy to see you well?"

Raphael takes a look around at his duel monsters, the ones that had stayed through with him all his years of isolation. His eyes alight on Iatos. "Iatos…" he says, and the creature smiles at him. "Your family needs you, Raphael." The Pharaoh tells him. "Don't give up on yourself just yet." The Seal burns brighter as it attempts to take his soul. Raphael remains rooted to the ground, his eyes closed as he tries to fight the strong power.

Iatos gives a small sound and the Seal vanishes, the green gem around Raphael's neck breaking, as it had when Mai refused it. Raphael stood up and looked blinking at the Pharaoh. "I…don't understand." He says. "I should be gone. Where's the Seal?"

"The seal is no longer here, Raphael." The Pharaoh tells him, smiling. "It was engraved into your heart but now you have washed it away. It has no power over you anymore." He paused. "You're free."

"And angry." Raphael said, clenching a fist. "That man…all my life he's been tricking me…making believe things...and in the end he was exactly what I was trying to fight against." "Raphael, remember not to give into your anger. That's exactly what fuels the Orycalcos." The Pharaoh reminds him. "That's right." Raphael says. "But I can't just sit here and let him get away with this. I'm going to crush him like a bug."

"Than we'll go with you." They hear behind them. Tristan, Tea, Alyssa, and Mokuba have finally reached them. Seto walks behind them, not nearly as eager. "I'm so happy you're alright." Alyssa says, giving the Pharaoh a hug as she runs up, Shocked he stands there, looking at her. Realizing so she quickly releases him and takes a step backward, brushing her hair behind her ear as she blushes, embarrassed.

"I mean, I'm so happy to see that you weren't harmed, my Lord. We were very worried when the smoke covered the field and we couldn't see what was going on." She says, not meeting his eyes. "Or rather _you_ were very worried and the rest of us only moderately worried." The Pharaoh raises his eyes as he overhears Tristan's comment, seeing her crimson blush deepen as she tries to hide her face and mumbles something.

"We need to get Joey and find the office he's in." Tristan reminds him. "Yes, I know." Yami says. "Let's pick him up and we'll check the offices. He's here somewhere." "And then I'll get back my company." Kaiba says, speaking for the first time since they'd come to the pair.

"You won't have much luck here." Raphael tell them. "What do you mean?" Tea asks. "Dartz has already left for his main base." Raphael tells them. "It's in the middle of the ocean, far from the reach of common man." He tells them. "But you know where it is?" Kaiba says, narrowing his eyes. "Of course I know where it is." Raphael says.

"Good. You're taking us there." "And how do you expect to-" "My copters could be here in a few minutes." Kaiba says. "My big brother plans in case of anything!" Mokuba says proudly. "Well he's gonna have to plan for a lot more if he's going against Dartz." Raphael says. "Even I know that won't be easy."

"You don't know my brother." Mokuba says. They feel the ground begin to shake beneath them as parts of the floor start caving in.

"Does he know how to stop building from falling?" Tristan asks nonchalantly. "No, I don't think he can do that." Mokuba says just the same, before what he's said sinks in, and they begin to scream.

.:. The Queen of Egypt walks down the halls as she heads for the courtyard. Yami was busy today, so she was going to spend the morning by her favorite fountain. It was near the entrance to the jungle (At least, for her purposes it was a jungle. She couldn't see how anyone could call something that big a mere garden). It was gold inlaid with a small waterfall trickling into a tiny pool. There were different kinds of fish there and she loved to feed them small bits of dried bread that remained leftover.

She was walking down the passageway when she without warning became alarmingly dizzy. Automatically she thrust out a hand to support herself against the wall. Stabilized she paused to let her head clear for a moment before continuing onward, still oblivious as to why she had such a spell. She figured that if she was not feeling well in half an hours time she would return indoors and lie down.

She was walking down the better half of it when her head began to ache severely, an image flashing before her eyes. The impact on her was so great that her arm against the wall did nothing. She felt herself fall to her knees, her hands holding her head in its agony. It felt as if her skull was being cleaved in two. She heard herself whimper slightly as it began to affect her vision, more pain coming with the loss of her sight. More and more parts of a scene played faster, closer together, until it was as if she was in another world.

But wait…this was the palace. She was running down the halls, gaping in horror at a wide window with a sweeping view of the city. It lay stretched out before her in ruin. All over the place monsters crawled, flew, appeared and vanished. People hid in fear as some tried to protect their families from these horrible beasts that were plaguing them. She could see a few in the street, harmed by the animals and others that lay dead. In the distance an ominous dark shadow hung over the horizon, dark clouds accumulating over a certain point.

She went towards the palace entrance looking for her husband. She found him battling a great many of these beings. There were three near him currently; two in front and one behind. She saw the puzzle glow and the two in front swung down their fists and claws at him, only to hit a solid shield. The glow became brighter and the monsters were defeated, their bodies laying against the ground.

The monster behind him lashed out with its mighty talons and caught him in the side. The claws dripped red on the other side with his blood as they had penetrated through to the other side. She stood still, shocked, before running towards him.

He looked up and saw her, his eyes wide with fear. A monster cornered her against a portion of the wall, blocking her attempts to get to him. She saw it raise its fist and braced herself for the blow she knew had to come.

But it didn't.

After the delay she looked up and saw a barrier around her, Yami laying on the floor, the puzzle glowing faintly around his neck. Realizing what was going on she motioned for him to stop but he shook his head. Looking around wildly she tried to find a way to get out of her current predicament.

Another monster fell on top of the one that was beating upon her shield, causing it to veer to the side. The Pharaoh 's shield broke and she ran over to him, holding him in his lap as he took his final breath. She could hear the distant cries of people who had faced the same fate. She looked up and saw the earlier brutes standing around her. Once more they raised their bludgeons of hands…

And she woke up.

She found herself resting against the wall, shaking with the aftermath of the vision. She stood up, trembling, and redirected herself back towards her room. She lay down on the bed and closed her eyes for a few moments, wishing away the horrible terror. She felt her head begin to ache again, and sat up. "I've got to tell Yami."

Returning to her feet she made her way not towards the courtyard as she had intended that morning but towards the throne room where she knew he was discussing important business. Peering around the doorway and into the room she saw him pacing back and forth, massaging his temples. His friends were sitting nearby and calling to him but he was, for the most part, ignoring them. He was consulting with Siamun when she lightly knocked on the doorframe.

He looked up and saw her. "May I come in?" she asked him and he nodded, returning to his pacing and conversation with Siamun. She went across the way towards his friends. "How's it been going?" she asked them, trying to figure out how exactly she was going to talk to Yami. She knew what she had to ask him but didn't know how to yet. "The same." The man said, not even looking at her and returning to play with his buddies.

She waited for a small break in the ordeal to tell him the news of what she was convinced was a vision. One of the other towns had been horribly ruined by building accidents. Many of the people lay hurt and the structure they had been working on had completely fallen to the ground. Thieves ran wild about the town, those who were merely looking for treasures as well as those who were taking needed items for their families.

He sighed and issued a few attendants some tasks before he walked over to her. It had been a few phases since she had entered and she was glad to see him walk towards her. "I didn't expect to see you here" he says, kissing her hand lightly. "I didn't expect me to be here either." She began to tell him. "But I have some-"

"Hey, Yami, want to have a little game?" one of his friends called interrupting her. Looking up he replied "That depends on what kind of game." "A shadow game, of course!" one of his other friends replied. "Yeah, all of us against one of you." Another one said and the group chuckled. "I look forward to it." The Pharaoh said. "It will be good to be away from such tedious tasks and instead relax for a small while."

The nervous feeling that she had in her stomach when she had just begun talking to him deepened and she knew she must have went slightly pale. How was she to tell him now? "I'll meet you at the entrance." He tells them, returning her to the present. "Go on."

"Nah, we can wait." They said, and stood by the door. The Pharaoh smiled at them before returning to her. "What is it you were saying earlier?" he asked her smiling, and she felt her heart sink. "Yami," she began, piecing things together as they went. "I'm afraid I have something very important to ask you." She tells him. "Oh?" he says. "And what would that be? Is there something wrong?"

"Well yes…and no." she tells him. "At least, not yet." She rushes to say. "What do you mean?" he asks her and she sighs. "Yami, you know I wouldn't ask you. Not unless it was something _really _important." She continues on. "I know you won't want to, that it won't be easy, but-" "Just spit it out already." He says and she is reminded of how she said the same thing to him one day. Taking a deep breath she merely says what she came to say.

"I need you to stop the Shadow Games."

The Pharaoh is quiet for a moment. "You're joking, right?" he asks her. "No, Yami, I'm not." She tells him. "I mean it. They're dangerous. You can't let them continue." She sighed again before continuing. "I know they're your favorite, but I'm sure you can find other things." She tells him. "If only-"

"You can't be serious!" one of the Pharaoh's friends calls, the same one who always seems to make the most trouble for her. "I'm very serious." she tells him. "They're dangerous. If they were to-" "You only don't want the Shadow Games to continue because it means he's with us instead of you!" One of them calls out.

"What?" she asks him astonished. "That's not true!" "It is so." He continues on. "The Shadow Games are one of the few things he ever does with us any more. You just don't want to let anyone near him; you want to control his money and power." "That's not true!" she says indignantly. "I never try and pull him away from his friends. I've gone many a boring day because he was with you and I did not want to interrupt him." She tells them.

"Yami, please, you have to stop them." She says. "You don't understand what will happen if they aren't. They're unsafe and will cause a tragedy." "They're only dangerous if you don't know how to play." One of the others says. He looks at her. "I'm afraid I have to agree with them on this one." He tells her. "So long as the person playing is skilled there is no cause to worry. People can not just conjure up these beasts on their own; it takes great power to do so. We are careful about these creatures. You needn't worry."

"Yami, please." She tells him again. "I told you it wouldn't be something easy. You know I wouldn't ask you for this if I did not think it was absolutely necessary. I know how much you like these games. Please?" she adds hopefully.

"I can't see why." He tells her. "Yami, I'm not joking." She tells him. "My nightmares…I think I know why I've been having them." "Because of the attack?" he asks her. "Yes. No. I mean," she begins, frustrated. "I know that must have frightened you but I assure you that it won't happen to you again." He says, gently picking her chin up in his hands. "Yami, I was awake this time. They weren't nightmares but visions. I saw these monsters attacking-" "Such events that a monster is released without being summoned are extraordinarily rare." He tells her. "That's not what I'm saying." She tells him.

"Just give it up already." One of his friends says. "The Pharaoh isn't a fool and he isn't yours to control." He says. "If he says no, it's a no. Give it up." "I wasn't talking to you." She says, "Alyssa, this isn't a good time." The Pharaoh says. "I'm rather stressed at the moment and we've both not been sleeping well." he says. "But this is the entire reason why!" she tells him, becoming frustrated. "Yami," "Come on, let's go." His friends say. "This is taking too long."

"We can talk about this later." He tells her, turning to go with his friends. "You'll see how silly you are being later. Go back to the room and try to get some rest." "Please." She repeats, wounded by his words

"Why?" the Pharaoh asks, his voice growing with irritation. "Have you a real reason why I shouldn't?" he asks. "Yes, I do." She says. "Oh? And what could that be?" he asks her. "From my…from my vision." She tries to explain. "People will be hurt and dying. Yami, will you do that to them for the sake of a game?" "Oh? And have you any proof of this? Any evidence that will help to prove your cause?" he asks her. "Yes! My vision! My nightmares that I suspect are the same thing! I've been up every night with them. Doesn't that prove anything?" "Anything that I can see myself?" he asks her impatiently. "No, I don't." she admits quietly. "Just my visions." She looks away before returning her entreating eyes to his. "Please, trust me on this?" she asks him. "I'm afraid not this time." He tells her. "You're having nightmares because of what happened. That is all. You're scared and it's okay, but I'm not going to stop because you can't get over your fear. There is no reason to do such an action." The Pharaoh says. "Please, Believe me!" she says, her voice growing louder as she pleads. "Don't raise your voice to me." He says, narrowing his eyes. "When do I tell you not to do something?" she attempts. "Please, believe me when I say, don't do this! Stop this now, before it is too late! No good can come of this. Stop this now, before it is too late." She repeats, softer.

"I've had enough of this." He says. "I'm leaving." He tells her. "No", she says defiantly, holding on to him. "Let go." Yami says as she tries to hold onto his arm. "Do I have to get on my knees and beg you?" she asks him. "You need to rest and clear your mind of these foolish thoughts." He tells her. "Yami don't be a fool!" she says loudly.

"Don't you speak to me like that!" he barks at her. Shocked and frightened she takes a step backwards, away from him. "You may be my queen, but you are still one of _my_ subjects, and you will not argue with me!" "Yami, I-" she begins but is cut off by his next statement. "I'll remind you that if it weren't for me you wouldn't even be here now. You'd be in the streets or some poor, broken down old house while you take care of those who could hardly be considered parents as you work yourself away trying to form some pathetic excuse for a life."

She attempts to blink back tears as she hears his words, each one a painful jab in her heart. She looks at her feet as he speaks, trying to conceal her eyes as they fill with tears at the painful truth. Finally he finishes.

Yami could not believe what he had said after he had said it. Indeed it had felt as if someone else had been saying it and he had just been unable to stop. He saw glistening drops of water from her tears on her face which was no longer looking into his. "Alyssa, I-" he begins in apology.

"No, my Lord." She says, reverting to his title and kneeling before him. "You are right. I am and have always been very grateful for the grace you have shown me, my king, and that of my parents. I apologize for my behavior and will try to remember to show my gratitude for all you have given me."

"Please," he begins, seeing her act in such a way painful. "I should never have spoken to my Pharaoh so disrespectfully." She continues on, her voice wavering with her tears. "I beg of your forgiveness. It was mere thoughtless acting in the moment, I assure you. I will not do so again, I promise."

"May I please have the honor of your leave to go, my Lord?" she asks him. "Don't be-" "Please, do I have it?" she asks, interrupting him. "…Yes." He mumbles. "Thank you my King." She tells him. "I hope that you can excuse such horrid acts in front of you. I am not deserving of all that I have received. I can not tell you how much I appreciate your gestures, and hope that I may somehow learn to express such a thing." He sighs as she stands, bowing slightly to him again and walks out of the room.

His friends look at him as he exhales and walks over to them. "Still up for that game?" One of them asks him. "I'm not sure." He says, watching her walk quickly away down the hall. "Oh come on, she's just being whiny. Nothing is going to happen." "I suppose not." He says after a moment. "Let's go."

Later that night the Pharaoh enters his bedchambers, expecting to see Alyssa hurt and awaiting his return. However, she is no where to be found as he begins to search the suite for her. He sighs and exits the room, walking over to her old one.

He entered it and there she lay, again, by herself. He saw her lying much the same way she had the night he'd carried her back to her room as she slept. She was tightly curled up and in her arms rested the pillow as she squeezed it to her. He could see her eyes were swollen from crying, and that the pillow had wet marks near where her eyes were.

She'd always come here when she was hurt and he knew she must have spent the entire day crying in the suite. She never allowed him to see her tears save when her parents had passed on a few months ago. She had hidden in the room and it was not until she was stressed and depressed to the breaking point that she finally allowed herself to shed her tears in his presence. He had held her for hours as she had sobbed in his arms, wanting to wipe away her hurts and tears.

These ones he had caused and still couldn't believe that he had said what he did. He climbed into the bed next to her and wrapped his arms around the waist of her sleeping body, pulling her to him and kissing the top of her head. "I'm sorry." He whispers. "I didn't mean it. I'm sorry." She breathes deeply and rolls over entirely, her body tucking into his as she slept. He was astonished-even in the midst of what he had done she still wanted to be near him, her habit of nestling into him unchanged. He kissed the top of her head and fell asleep, a stray tear trailing down her cheek.


	28. Chapter 28

.:. "AAAAAHHH!" Mokuba, and Tristan yell. "We're gonna die!" Tristan says. "That's it! We're done for!" Tea slaps him across the face. "Keep yourself together man!" she says. "Tea is right." The Pharaoh says. "We still have time to get out of the building. First we need to get Joey and Mai." They rush over to the pair, Tristan picking up Mai, Raphael picking up Joey. "It's good for a change of scenery." Tristan says looking at Mai before Tea hits him on the back of his head again. "Ow!" he says. "I mean, it's nice she's not as heavy as Joey was." He says.

"Chopper One, get here now!" Kaiba says into his watch, a miniature transmitter inside relaying his directions. Within seconds they hear the loud sound of the chopper whizzing to greet them. "I told you he's the best!" Mokuba says as he sees the chopper come into view moments later. "It's just lucky that it was based so close." Tristan says. The chopper lands on the roof, the air from its whirling blades causing dust and other loose objects such as paper to fly around.

"My guardians!" Raphael shouts as his deck slips out having caught on Joey's jacket as he walked and the cards scatter all over due to the winds. "Leave'em man, they're gone!" Tristan says as they feel the building lurch beneath them. "I'm not leaving those cards." Raphael says as he sets Joey down and chases off after them. "Suit yourself. But we aren't waiting." Kaiba tells him. The Pharaoh spies a few of the cards nearby and proceeds to get them, collecting them as he walks.

"Here, you get one of Joey's arms Tea." Alyssa says. "We'll pull him over." "We're pulling Joey?" Tea asks as they begin to do so. "Well we can't pull Mai." Alyssa says. "Otherwise they'll both kill us when they wake up." She says and they laugh.

The Pharaoh meets Raphael and hands him his cards. "You have them all then, correct?" The Pharaoh says, preparing to enter the chopper. "All except for one…Oh no, it's Iatos!" he says. Raphael glances around the rooftop and spies it on the edge. "I'll get it." He says. The building gives a tremendous lurch and begins swaying precariously. "The building can't hold this anymore." The Pharaoh tells him. "You won't be able to get on if you get it." "Then that's what I have to do." Raphael says running over to the card.

"Get in here!" Yami hears the whole crowd yell as they pull half of him in and the copter leaves the ground. The group looks out the window as Raphael reaches for his card. He holds it in his hand for a brief moment before the building gives way beneath him. "Raphael!" Yami shouts. "Hang on!" he opens the door to the helicopter and jumps out, reaching out a hand to Raphael. The former adversary reaches up to take it but is unable to. "Take this." He says, handing a card to Yami from his pocket. "On it is a map. It will take you to Dartz."

"But, Raphael," he starts but the building beneath him shakes as well. Raphael grabs the arm of the Pharaoh as he tooo begins to fall. "Get Dartz!" he shouts and tosses him onto the plane, the building collapsing into its true form which makes the entire group gasp.

"No!" the Pharaoh shouts making a desperate grab for him as something else pulls him in all the way. "I'm not letting you wreck my copter." Kaiba tells him. "Not unless you're paying for another, and I doubt you could foot that bill." He says condescendingly.

"Poor Raphael." Tea says. "And just when he'd finally figured things out too." She says. "You can't save everyone." Tristan says. "But we are saving Yugi." The Pharaoh says. "Oh? And how do we do that?" Kaiba asks, irritated. "The one person we were going to use to lead us to Dartz is now six feet under, more actually."

The Pharaoh freezes as he realizes this. "Oh no!" he says. "What do we do now?" Tristan says, banging a fist against the wall of the helicopter. "Raphael gave me this. He said it would take us to Dartz." Yami says, hading the memory card to Kaiba, who pulls it up on his computer. "wWell, well, well, looks like you did something right after all." He tells the Pharaoh. "This map shows us exactly where we need to go." "Mr. Kaiba, we're being hailed by what seems to be the military. Shall I bring us down?" someone says, the announcement playing over the speaker system. "Why not?" Kaiba says. "It's not like I've anywhere else to be." He says sarcastically, but the pilot brings them down.

"Mr. Kaiba." One of the men in white suits says to him. "How are you to-" "Just get to the point." Kaiba tells the older man. "Right. As you know, there have been some strange occurrences going on as of late." "And that means what to me?" Kaiba asks him. "Mr. Kaiba, the military is in need of your help." He says.

"What?" Kaiba asks him. "Yes. We have located where the disturbance is based and we need you to fly in and disable it. It seems to be housed ona small island; the building registered there is apparently owned by a corporation. We know that the leader of this business is a man named Dartz." "And why would it be me going in?" Kaiba asks him before the man could try and further get off the topic. "Shouldn't this be something that you take care of?" "Well, ordinarily it would, but it seems to be written in a code we haven't been able to decipher. A military chopper would raise more suspicion then what appears to be a wayward civilian chopper." "And?" Kaiba asks. "And…we suspect that there are many of the crazed monsters near the specified location. We need an expert in the field to go in."

"Well, it's your lucky day because I seem to be going to the same place." Kaiba says to him. "Really?" the man asks. "Yes. I've an appointment with this man. Let me see your maps." He says. They confer over them for a few minutes before he enters the chopper. "You all can stay here." He says to the group as they look at him. "Not this time, Kaiba." The Pharaoh says, pushing past him. "I'm coming to get Yugi. You can talk about your business with Dartz after I've gotten him back."

"Whatever." Kaiba says going to shut the door again. "Nope. Sorry." Tea says as she, Tristan and Alyssa climb onboard once more. "This isn't a ride at the fair!" he says. "Of course it isn't." Alyssa says as she snaps on her seatbelt. "At the fair you have to pay."

Kaiba slumped against the back seat.

.:. Alyssa woke up the next morning, her eyes still tired and hurting from the day before. Her head ached and she guessed she had probably been crying in her sleep as well.

It was when she opened her eyes at last that she realized she was sleeping on top of the Pharaoh in the way she always did, her head on his chest and resting on her side, her body tucked tightly against his. She sighed as she buried her head in him again, cursing herself for how weak she was when it came to him. Why did she still have to want to be near him after what he'd said?

She lay down not wanting to get up and stretch for fear of waking him. She rested against him, suppressing more tears as she remembered his words the day before.

"_I'll remind you that if it weren't for me you wouldn't even be here now. You'd be in the streets or some poor, broken down old house while you take care of those who could hardly be considered parents as you work yourself away trying to form some pathetic excuse for a life."_

She resisted the urge to cry as it practically overwhelmed her. A few tears fell from her eyes and landed on the Pharaoh's chest. Quickly she wiped away the ones in her eyes as she saw him begin to shift in his sleep. She rolled over so that he could not see her eyes. Once more she cursed herself as she tried to nuzzle herself against him as she felt his arms encase her and pull her towards him.

"Good morning." He told her and she felt him kiss her neck lightly. "Morning." She mumbled quietly. "Sleep well?" he asked her. "Yes. You?" she asked him simply. "Yes." He said. Yami sighed.

"Alyssa, I'm sorry." "No, you were right." She says. "I wouldn't be here right now if it weren't for you, and I would probably be in some run down house." "But I shouldn't have-" "It's okay." She says, hiding her head from him.

He sighed and climbed on top of her and turned her face so that she would have to look at him. "Look at me." He told her as he saw her eyes avoid his. "Look at me." He repeated and she did.

"I'm sorry." He told her. "I didn't mean what I said. I was stressed. I shouldn't have taken it out on you." "I'm not blaming you." She mumbled. "But you should." He said. Sighing he repeated himself. "Look at me."

Sighing herself she returned her eyes to his. "What is it?" she asked him. "I don't agree with stopping the games. I'm not going to. But I do love you and I don't want you to be mad at me." "I'm not mad." She says. "But you don't understand, you can't let them go on. Don't you-"

"Let's not do this now, okay?" he said, his head dropping. "If that is what you wish." She tells him. "And _don't_ do that." He tells her, looking back up. "I don't want any of this royalty stuff. It took long enough for you to stop that in the first place." "Fine." She tells him.

"I love you." He said, leaning down and kissing her. "Let's get something to eat, alright? I didn't see you at dinner yesterday." "I'm not hungry." She mumbles. "Go on without me."

He sighed again. "If that is what you wish." He said mimicking her, and getting up. She sat up. "Yami, please. I don't ask you for things often. You know I wouldn't do this unless I was serious about it." "Alyssa," he says his voice strained. "Just promise me you'll think about it, okay?" she asks him. "Please?"

"I'll think about it." He tells her. She got up and hugged him. "Thank you." "I didn't say I was going to-" "I know that. But at least you're going to consider what I'm saying. I'm sure in the end you'll do the right thing."

"Are you coming down now then?" he asked hopefully. "I'm really not hungry." She tells him, but he takes her hand and kisses it. "Please?" he says. She hesitates. "I'll come and sit with you, talk to you, but I'm not going to eat anything." "Well, at least you'll consider it and in the end I'm sure you'll do the right thing." He says, repeating her.

"I'm sure I will." She says.

.:. "Mr. Kaiba sir, the isle is up ahead. We'll be landing in just a few minutes." The pilot says. "Good." Kaiba tells him. _"Almost there."_ The Pharaoh thinks. _"I'm coming Yugi."_

"Will someone tell me why we brought him along too?" Kaiba says, thrusting a finger at Joey's unconscious body. "Simple." Tea says. "You didn't notice, so we didn't say anything." "I'm getting real tired of these snide comments." He tells her. "Oh? I thought you'd be used to them by now." Alyssa tells him.

They descend outside what appears to be some kind of temple. All around them is a giant storm, the waves of he sea massive forms that crash and break against one another in confused and tortured patterns. Lightning flits through the gray clouds up above, the only source of light to illuminate the darkened sky.

"Get out." Kaiba says the moment they land. The group exits the helicopter, Kaiba helping his brother down. "What are we going to do now, Seto?" the small child asks him. "Well I'm going to go in there and get back my company." Kaiba says. "As for the rest of them, I don't care." "We're coming too, Kaiba." The Pharaoh reminds him. "You might have business about your company, but we are getting Yugi, Joey, and everyone else back that has been captured."

"Whatever." Kaiba says his favorite line again. They follow him into the entrance of the golden temple, ascending the stairs one by one until they reach the massive doors. Cautiously, they enter.

"I don't see Dartz." Yami says as he continues on. "that piece of work had better be here." Kaiba says. "Relax, Kaiba. Everyone just follow me closely." Yami says. They pass through a few other rooms with no luck. Finally they come to the Soul Sanctuary.

The room is massive, with tiles lining the walls and floor. "Yugi look!" Tea shouts, pointing to the wall across the way. "Yugi!" Yami shouts, quickly running towards the other wall. "And Mai, Joey…they're all here!" They were so exited to see Yugi they did not notice the man that was present. Ahead of them is another level, on which stands the statues of dragons, their mouths open. On a cushion in front of them sits a man with emerald green hair that goes past his waist. He is wearing white robes and does not turn to look at them.

"Hello, Pharaoh. And Kaiba too. What a pleasant surprise." He says. "I came to take back my company." Kaiba says, angrily, noticing he is there. "You did not legally take Kaiba corporation. If you refuse to remove your claim on it, I personally will see that your life is a living-" "We are here for other reasons." Yami says, intentionally cutting off Kaiba. "Ah yes, Pharaoh." Dartz says. "I was expecting you for that purpose."

"Then you will not be surprised when I tell you to give back my partner's soul, and all those of the others you have hurt." "To do so you will have to beat me in a duel, and that is impossible." Dartz announces to them. "We were expecting you to say that." The Pharaoh says as he and Kaiba activate their duel disks. "Don't worry, we came prepared."

"That is what you think." Dartz says, standing to look at them. His eyes are two different colors, one gold and one green. In between his eyes rests a red stone, dangling down by a chain, and another of the Orycalcos shards is about his neck. He raises his own arm to reveal a duel disk. "I shall have your soul, Pharaoh, and finally awaken the great Leviathan. There is no escape for you."

"You have to beat me first. I was not called the King of Games for nothing." The Pharaoh reminds him. "There's no way you'll ever beat me." Kaiba says. "Let's duel!" all three shout together.

"Take a look around, Pharaoh." Dartz says motioning to the walls. "Have a little history lesson if you will." The group looks alla round the room, realizing that it consists entirely with the souls of captured people. Alla round them they see clothing from different ages. "I have been collecting my souls for ten thousand years." Dartz tells them. "I will not lose so many so easily."

"So it is us two against you?" Kaiba asks ignoring his comment. "I almost feel sorry for you." He says. "I wouldn't be so confident if I were you, Seto Kaiba." Dartz says as he draws out his hand. "Things are not always what they seem. Isn't that right Pharaoh?" "I'll agree to that." He says, withdrawing his own hand. "I'll allow your friends to leave if you win, but should you lose, you must give your souls to me as the prize." Dartz tells them. "Fair enough. I don't believe in that crap anyway." Kaiba says.

"You may very well by the time this duel is over." Dartz says to him. "Whatever." Kaiba says. "First I'll play my White Dragon Ritual. Sacrificing a card I can summon Paladin of White Dragon." The actions occur on the field as he speaks. "Now, I'll sacrifice my Paladin to summon the Blue eyes white dragon!" he shouts, playing his favorite card. "Unfortunately, it can't attack this turn."

"Then I will play Chaos Ritual, and sacrifice my Magnet warrior for it." The Pharaoh says. "This allows me to special summon the Chaos soldier!" his monster appears on the battle field. "I'll place one card facedown and end my turn." He says simply. "Wow!" Mokuba says. "Dartz is going to have to come up with some kick butt move to beat that first turn." He says.

"I do believe it is my turn." Dartz says. "So first I play the Seal of Orycalcos!" A strange sensation envelops the entire room as the power of the cads expands. "Did it get colder in here all of a sudden?" Tea asks, rubbing her arms. "Now we have the tone set for this duel." Dartz says enjoying the discomfort of the others.

"I summon Orycalcos Gil Gear to the field." He says, another of the monsters that the friends had seen many times as of late. "Kaiba, be careful about those." Yugi warns him. "Alright then." Kaiba says, not really caring.

"Lastly I'll sacrifice five hundred life points to summon Orycalcos Kyutora." Dartz says. What appears to be an eyeball and a sea urchin comes to the field. "That will end my turn." Dartz says with a smile.

"Hah." Kaiba says. "Let me show you how a real duelist plays." He says, drawing his card. He looks at it and begins to laugh very loudly. "Well, it seems this duel is over." He says. "I use fusion to fuse together the two Blue Eyes I hold in my hand with the one I have on the field, creating Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon."

"And then I will fuse his monster with my Chaos soldier!" the Pharaoh says. "To create Master of Dragon Knight!" The monster comes into play with an imposing five thousand attack points. "Bet Kaiba wishes he could still see his dragon." Tristan jokes.

"And I'll play Meteor Rain!" the Pharaoh says. "This card allows me to attack a monster in defense mode, and if my monster's attack points are higher then it will damage you the difference."

"Attack his Gil Gear!" the Pharaoh says. The Master of Dragon Knight leaps out to attack, hitting the Gil Gear and destroying it. "Now wasn't that easy?" Kaiba says. "Perhaps not as easy as we think, Kaiba. Look!" the Pharaoh says.

There I san aura protecting Dartz, shielding him from the damage. "What?" Kaiba asks confused as Dartz laughs, the light enveloping them and pulling them away into another world.

"Let me show you what this is all for." He tells them as they once more come into a dimension of space. Then, below them, lay a city. "This is Atlantis, my home ten thousand years ago." Dartz begins. "It was quite peaceful. I was King in those days, and we were very happy. We were advanced and yet simple; everyone was happy."

"Then one day the meteors came." He says, his tone getting darker as the scenery does as well. "And people began transforming into their true selves. They went crazy for power and money. It was nothing like it had been before." The images before their eyes changed with his words. 'Finally they became dark enough that they changed physically as well. Even my own wife…transformed into a monster before my eyes. There were shouts and cries everywhere as people faced what is was they were. I couldn't believe it."

Kaiba and the Pharaoh watch as they see a young Dartz watch as his wife transformed from a beautiful woman into a hideous beast. She ran out of the room and they could hear screaming. The Dartz of the past looked out the window, seeing all the terrible events that were happening in his kingdom. "That's funny…" he said, noticing a bloody fountain's water turn a luminescent green. He waded into it and pulled out a green shard, the first shard of the Orycalcos.

"I saw what needed to be done then." He said to them, narrating the miniature movie they were experiencing. "The Orycalcos had shown me the Orycalcos God, one that would free the world of the evils in it, the darkness in people's hearts. I immeadiatly began doing what I needed to to summon the creature; it would be mine to control, mine to purify the world with." What looked like rings transformed into monsters. "I sent them forth to collect what I needed, the souls of man, to bring out this wonderful creature that was going to help me save the world."

"My foolish father tried to stop me, but I told him not to interfere. He went about then, raising up his own armies, awakening the three Earth gods. But it was all useless. We had a giant battle to decide the fate of the world. My monsters against his. Unfortunatly things did not work out as we had hoped for, and both sides lost, Atlantis sinking into the ocean." The Pharaoh looks on, recognizing this as the battle he had seen when he was fighting that monster, the one the spirits of Atlantis had shown him after his duel with Yugi.

"I've been waiting a long time to summon the Great Beast." He tells them in closing. "I will not have two small minded mortals ruin it for me."

"Well it's a little too late for that." Kaiba tells him. "In case you've forgotten, the Master of Dragon Knight just destroyed what was left of your life points. It's over. You've lost."

"Have I now?" Dartz asks him, returning them to the present battlefield. Everyone sighs when they see them return. "You can let go of me now." Alyssa says, swiping off Tristan's arm. "Fine." He says.

"What?" Kaiba shouts. "How is your-" "My Kyutora has a special ability to absorb all damage." He tells him. "Now then, it is my turn."

"But-" "But nothing." Dartz tells him. "And now I re-summon Orycalcos Gil Gars to the field!" The monster appears, five hundred points stronger than before. "What?" Kaiba says, seeing this. "I warned you before." Yami says. "It increases each time it returns." "Yes, how perceptive of you." Dartz says. "Luckily for the two of you, when I special summon Gil Gear I can not draw my card."

"Then I play-" "I didn't say I was finished." Dartz says, holding another card in his hand. "I play Orycalcos Deuterosu, the second Seal of Orycalcos!" Another Seal descends and locks into the first one.

"And now, the real fun begins."


	29. Chapter 29

.:.The Pharaoh sits alone once more in the hall. The attendant he had sent up to the room a few minutes ago returns with the desert. "She returns it with a message, my Lord." He says. "She says she thanks you for thinking of her and she is happy that you have, but that she remains firm in her decision and will not change it. She wishes to tell you that she still loves you very much, but she will not give up her actions until you have given up yours."

The Pharaoh sighed. "Very well then." He said, getting up. "Thank you." He tells the man and begins walking up towards her old suite once more.

Entering the room he sees her laying down in her bed. "Why do you insist on such things?" he asks her. "Why do you?" she returns to him. "You need to eat." He tells her. "I haven't seen you at mealtimes in a week. If you don't stop this you will die."

"And if you don't stop the Shadow Games I will die. It will happen eventually. The only cruel part is that my death will be easier than the thousands of others that die in the hands of these monsters." "Nothing is going to happen!" he says again. "Yes, Yami, it will. I have seen it." She tells him.

"But…refusing to eat?" he says. "Come now, don't you find that silly?" "It is getting your attention, isn't it?" she says. "I'm not going to eat one thing until you stop the Shadow games." "You will to." He tells her. "I don't care if I have to feed it to you myself, you are eating something! Look how pale you are already!" he tells her, sitting down on the bed and holding her hand.

"I'm not afraid to die." She tells him. "I think that's the problem." He says. "Why don't you just stop this nonsense?" "Why don't you?" she asks him. "Yami, I know it is because of your friends." She says to him. "I've heard them talk to you. If it weren't for them you would have listened to me and seen the reasoning in this. I'm not trying to stop you from having fun. You know that." "Of course I know that." He says, sighing and laying down next to her. "And you know I'm not trying to control you." She says, snuggling into him. "I know that as well." he says, hugging her to him. "So why would you not stop them?" she asks him. "Unless you are afraid your friends would think so, even if they are wrong."

"I don't want to." He says, trying to ignore the thinness he already can see and feel creeping into her. _"And because I don't feel like having the whole kingdom know that I allow myself to be pressured into things by my wife as I have been told they are beginning to believe."_ He thinks to himself."I am as stubborn as you are." He tells her. "For once you will just have to give in to me."

"No, Yami, I won't." she says, falling asleep. He noticed and began stroking her hair, thinking of the conversation he'd had with his friends.

"_Your woman has you wrapped around your finger. It's supposed to be the other way around."_

"_She does not."_

"_Oh no? Look at what you've done already."_

"_What?"_

"_Everything!"_

"_I don't know what you are talking about."_

"_That's besides the point. What will people think if their Pharaoh allows himself to be pushed around in such a way?"_

"_They won't think that."_

"_But they already are. And to be honest, Yami, I think they're right. You're nothing like you used to be. You're so much weaker now."_

"_Just because I take care to consider what people have to say doesn't make me weak."_

"_Then consider this: I'd bet my life that you're considering stopping the Shadow Games, harmless as they are."_

"_So what if I am? They're just a game."_

"_They're a symbol of the Pharaoh's power. Remove that and it's like you're saying you're no better than anyone else."_

"_No it isn't, and so what if I am?"_

"_I bet that you can't change her mind on anything. She has you right under her thumb."_

"_No, she doesn't."_

"_Oh really? Than why don't you prove it?"_

"_How?"_

"_Simple. Don't give in this time. No matter what she does."_

"_But what if she's right?"_

"_Can a god be wrong?"_

"_I'm not too sure they can't."_

"_Just watch. She'll give in to you eventually. And if she doesn't, better off anyway."_

"_Whatever. You're crazy."_

"_No, don't give in. You'll see what happens."_

"_Fine. Though I don't think this is proving anything."_

"_Swear it."_

"_What?"_

"_Swear it! That you won't give in."_

"_That's just stupid. No."_

"_There you go being weak again."_

"_I am not weak!"_

"_Then swear it!"_

"_FINE! I swear it!"_

'"_Way to go, Yami. Be a man again. Let's go. I'm bored."_

He wanted to groan when he'd thought back on the conversation. He'd allowed himself to be manipulated so easily. Thinking back he'd sounded so stupid. He swore it though, so he would keep it.

Looking down at his sleeping wife he said quietly "I wish you would stop this. Maybe than I wouldn't have to. I pray that you are wrong. May you realize it before it is too late."

"_Or me."_

.:."What?" Tristan says. "What does that thing do ?"

"Orycalcos Deuterosu allows me to gain five hundred life points for each of my monsters on the field. And considering I have two…" he says and his life point counter goes up. "I receive one thousand life points."

"That's crazy!" Tristan shouts as he watches the counter rise. "No, just fortunate." Dartz says, smirking. "Now then, Gil Gars, attack master of Dragon Knight." "But the night has more power." Tristan says. "What's he doing?" Tea asks.

"Each time it is destroyed it comes back stronger." Alyssa says. "So by allowing it to die, he only makes it return as an even better monster. And with his Kyutora absorbing all the damage, his life points remain safe." "Oh no!" Tea says as the Knight counter attacks, destroying Gil Gars once more.

"I'll place one card face down." Kaiba says. "And summon my Blade Knight." The monster appears on the field. "When it is summoned as the last of the hand, its attack power goes up by four hundred." He informs the group. "With that I'll end my turn." He says.

"My turn now." Yami says, drawing his card. "I play energy reflector!" Kaiba says, revealing his face down card. A mirror comes behind Dartz on the wall. "Yugi, attack with Master of Dragon Knight." He tells him. "It will reflect the damage back to Dartz-his Kyutora can't absorb it."

"Right!" Yugi says. "Master of Dragon knight, attack using the Reflector!" Master of Dragon Knight does. "I knew my big brother could do it!" Mokuba says as he watches Yami's monster attack. "What?" Kaiba shouts again as the attack bounces of the reflector…and hits Gil Gars!

Gil Gars is destroyed and Dartz once more has no damage done to him. "Orycalcos Deuterosu allows me to sacrifice a monster to negate a direct attack." He explains. "And now I'll fire your attack right back at your Master of Dragon Knight!" he shouts. "I play depolymerization!" Yugi shouts, turning the Knight back into the Chaos soldier and Kaiba's Blue Eyes.

"_When the second seal is on the field, we can't even direct attack!"_ he thinks to himself nervously. " Unfortunately, since Gil Gars wasn't destroyed in battle it can't be re-summoned. Now I'll play the Orycalcos mirror, and by sacrificing my Time Eater I can summon four knights!"

The four mirror knights come to the field. "One of the nice things about this, besides the fact that my life points rise to seven thousand five hundred from all these new monsters…" he rubs in as his counter goes up. "Is that the knights can equal and absorb all the attack power of whatever monster rests in their mirrors."

"Knowing that, mirror Knight one, attack the Blue eyes Ultimate!" the knight lashes forward and the blue eyes is destroyed. "Knight number two! Attack the Chaos soldier!" this knight does so as well. "My last two knights, attack their life points directly!" the knights both leap forward and do so, each of the two duelists life point counters decreasing with the attacks.

"But shouldn't the Mirror Knights be destroyed to?" Tristan asks. "So long as my descent of Mirror Knights is on the field, they each receive a shield, so that no damage is done to the knights." Dartz explains. "Oh. That sucks." Tristan says.

"I play Treasure of Life." Kaiba says. "Allowing me to draw five cards. First I'll play silent death, allowing me to return my Blade Knight from the graveyard. Next, I'll sacrifice that to summon Kaiser Glider. I'll lay one card face down and end my turn."

"_Mirror force"_ The Pharaoh thinks, laying it face down. "I summon Big Shield Guardner, in defense mode." The Pharaoh says. "Then it's my turn now." Dartz says and his life point counter goes up again. "I play Ring of destruction!" Kaiba says, revealing his face down card and destroying Descent of Mirror Knights.

"Both our life points go down by five hundred," Kaiba says. "But at least the shields can't be regenerated." The shields and helmets of the Knights crack. Where the helmets were are the faces of Mai, Joey, Pegasus, and Yugi. Everyone gasps. _"If I had played mirror force I would have destroyed them!"_ The Pharaoh thinks to himself, horrified.

"What's the meaning of this?" Kaiba asks crossly. "I thought I'd have a little fun." Dartz says. "I need your souls after all. Will you destroy your friends?" "Their souls! They're not on the wall anymore!" Tea says,s hocked. "This is ridiculous." Kaiba says. "Maybe so." Dartz says.

"Mirror Knight Yugi." Dartz says. "Attack the Pharaoh." Everyone gasps as Yugi raises his sword. "Hmm?" Dartz says as the small soldier does not move forward. "You don't want to? Oh come now. Attack!"

Little Yugi does nothing, remaining motionless. "Oh well." Dartz says, realizing he might not control him entirely. "It's still fun to watch. I wonder how long he can keep this up. I'll end my turn with this face down card."

"Fine. Then I'll summon Pot of Greed." Kaiba says, playing the card. "Next I'll play cost down, which downs a monsters level by two stars, allowing me to summon Twilight Zone Dragon. Now, attack Mirror Knight number three! Destroy it's shield!"

"Kaiba, no!" Yami says as the dragon attacks. "Now, Kaiser glider, attack the Mirror Knight again!" "Kaiba, are you mad?" the Pharaoh shouts. "What are you doing?" "Do you understand our situation here, Yugi?" Kaiba asks him. "If we lose we can't save anyone's souls. Glider, attack!"

The Kaiser Glider goes forward to attack the defenseless Mai as the rest of them watch, waiting to see what will happen. Joey, however, steps in front. His own shield is destroyed but Mai remains unharmed. "It's so amusing to look at what this friendship between your group will do." Dartz says.

"Attack the Knights, Yugi." Kaiba says. Yami prepares to, but thinks of all the memories he's had with his friends. "I can't." he tells him. "I…I end my turn."

"WHAT?" Kaiba shouts angrily as Dartz laughs. "Dartz, stop this. Play fair!" Tristan says, fumbling for something to say. "Poor Pharaoh." Tea says. "He can't attack them."

"I play the card Two Archers Kantauros!" Dartz says after his life points once more rise. "Now, it will choose either your Kaiser Glider or my Mirror Knight. Whatever attack damage it does is dealed directly to the player. Now who will it choose?" Dartz says as they watch. "Looks like this time it chose you." Dartz says, laughing as the monster destroys Kaiba's Glider, bringing his life points down to six hundred. "I'll end my turn, as I can play no other cards." He says.

"Attack Mirror Knight two!" Kaiba shouts to his Twilight Zone dragon. Little Yugi comes up and protects Joey with his shield, and Dartz once more chuckles at the bond.

"I play Cyclone." Yami says. "Which will destroy your archers. After that, I end my turn."

Dartz summons a monster called Orycalcos Diablos. _"If Dartz attacks Seto this turn, his life points will go down to zero."_ Mokuba thinks worriedly.

"Attack the Twilight Dragon!" Dartz says. "Barrier of Conducting te attack!" Kaiba shouts, looking at Yami. "Transferred to Big Shield Guardner!" Yami shouts. The attack is taken away from Kaiba. The card allows the points of the monster to raise by six hundred, but even still Dartz receives no damage.

"I place my twilight zone dragon in defense mode. I lay two cards face down, and end my turn." Kaiba says as it comes to him. "Attack the Knights, Yugi." Kaiba tells him again. Yami hesitates when he hears Yugi begin to speak. "Come on…Pharaoh…" he says. "You…can't…let yourself…do this…Don't worry about us…the whole…world…is counting… on you…just…attack…already!"

Yami is shocked and hesitates more. "Big Shield Guardner…defense mode." He says. "I'll lay one card face down, and end my turn." He says quietly.

"Dartz!" they hear a voice shout. Turning, they see Raphael enter the room. "Ah, Raphael." Dartz says. "Dartz, stop this. This is nonsense, and release their friends! You were wrong." Raphael tells him. "Oh? And what of the others?" Dartz says, motioning towards the frames of Alaster and Valin. "Alaster…Valin…why are they in here? They did not have dark hearts...ever!" he says. "I needed them so I took them." Dartz tells him. "Let them go, or I'll-" "Or you'll _what_, Raphael?" Dartz asks him. "Are you so sure that your dark heart is really gone?" he asks him.

"My heart will continue to be pure, without you." Raphael says. "the Pharaoh helped me with that. He showed me where the darkness truly was, and it's only with you and this Orycalcos." "But you were happy to believe in the darkness." Dartz tells him. "Of course, I needed to give you a little push…"

"What do you mean?" Raphael asks.  
Oh come now, you don't really think I could have gotten you to believe such things without a few special events? Oh come now, be serious." He says, seeing his confusion. "It was simple really. Disguising myself as Gozaburo Kaiba I was able to fool Alaster into my cause." He begins. "What?" Kaiba says angrily. "Well now I've another score to settle with you." He says. "And Valin. I framed him for his first crime. Eventually he turned down the path. It was all too easy to pick him up after that."

"You…you…" "And you, Raphael." Dartz says. "I knew that to get you I'd have to take you away from a supporting family. It was I who created that storm, I who made the waves that crashed the boat. It took a while before you were ready but you were molded into an Orycalcos soldier."

"You…you….I'LL GET YOU FOR THAT!" Raphael shouts, angrily. "You ruined my life…I'll make you pay for that." "I needed more power to fight against the chosen duelists and dragons. You were all tools. Nothing more."

Raphael whips out his cards. "Guardian Iatos! Seal of Orycalcos!" he shouts. "Raphael, no!" the Pharaoh says. "Don't let yourself fall in your anger!"

"Arg!" Raphael shouts as the Seal burns onto his forehead before closing around him. "But he wasn't even dueling yet!" Tea shouts as the Seal removes his soul. The image of Raphael appears next to that of Valin's, and his body lays on the floor.

"No one can stop the Seal once it has been implanted." Dartz says. "He couldn't run from it forever. But I wouldn't worry about that." He says as he looks across at them. "Kaiba, Pharaoh, prepare to see the true power of the Orycalcos, for now I activate it's third level, Orycalcos Toritosu!"


	30. Chapter 30

.:. The Pharaoh sat in his room, fiddling with his puzzle. His eyes constantly darted from the pieces in his hand and on the bed to the shell that was laying not all that far away. She had slipped into unconsciousness from starvation. If he didn't do something soon she would die.

He'd tried to make sure she'd eat while she slept, figuring that it would awaken her. However the attendants around her had stopped his efforts. "She left us orders to see that she wasn't to be fed." They told him. "Unless you had stopped the Shadow games."

"That's ridiculous!" he said to them. "Never mind that. I'm overriding her orders. "She also said that you would say that, and we were to slit her throat if such a task happened. She said that one life for that of many is a small price to pay."

"If a single one of you lays a hand on her, I will personally see you all-" "She also said that when you began to threaten us, as she knew you would, that if the Shadow games had not been stopped that the moment she had the opportunity to do so she would take her own life. She does not want to break her own oath, my King." The servant finished.

He'd left then in his frustration. It had been two days. They'd reported to him that she had gotten weaker. She only had a few days left, the doctor said. He could feel her heart skipping inside her when he laid a hand on her chest.

"This is ridiculous." He said as he finished the puzzle for the eighth time that day. "Oath or no oath, this is madness." "Then why not merely stop the games, my Lord?" his advisor said. "What?" he asked as he looked up at Siamun. "Atemu," he said gently. "I have never seen you more miserable in your life, and I have known you since you were a babe. There are other things. Why not humble yourself, just this once?"

"But I swore it." "And so did she." He says. "She is obviously not giving up in her oath. If you do not do something, she will die. Would you prefer that? You are merely holding your oath for some friends. She believes hers to be for the fate of the world. Who's cause is stronger?"

The Pharaoh sighed. "Hers…I guess…" he says. "What?" he hears from the doorway as a few of his friends walk in. "Are you giving in? _Now_? When things got easy?" one of them says, tossing an apple up and down while catching it. "I don't understand what you mean by easy." The Pharaoh says. "She is unconscious." "Exactly!" his friend said. "No more complaining! She can't rag on you now! Things are finally looking up! She'll stop soon!"

"Yes, because she'll be dead." Siamun says. "You can't just stop now." His friend says. "What about your oath?" "You seem to like reminding me of that." Yami said testily. "Yeah, well, it's a good thing I do or else you'd have stopped long ago." He says, taking a bite of the apple.

"Perhaps I should have." The Pharaoh says. "If I have been letting anyone control me, it has been all of you. Now stop badgering me or I will have you removed." He tells them, getting up and picking up the shell before exiting the room.

"Fine." His friends said from behind. "Ignore what you said."

A messenger runs up to them quickly. "My Lord…trouble, in the pyramid where the Ka's are stored!" he says. "The priests are requesting your assistance."

"What?" the Pharaoh asks, shocked. He rushes towards the end of the hall where a wide window opened towards the town. Across the way he could see flashes of light and monsters roaming near the building.

"She saw the Ka's…" he whispered to himself. "It makes sense." "What are you mumbling about?" his friend says again. "She doesn't know much about the games, she mistook them for something else." He says turning towards them. "Not entirely, Pharaoh." Siamun says. "Remember, they have called for the Ka's in battle before as well. They _are_ a part of the Shadow Games."

"She was right." He says. Turning back to look at the window he sees the pyramid in the distance, the one with rising clouds over it. "Siamun…" he says. "Yes, Pharaoh?" Siamun says to him. "What must I do?"

.:. Dartz's life points go up once more as the third seal is firmly locked into place. "Orycalcos Diablos, attack Twilight Dragon!" "What?" Kaiba says as he sees his monster switch into attack mode. "It's part of Diablos's special ability." Dartz tells him as the monster goes in for the attack. "Then I play-" "NOTHING!" Dartz says, laughing. "All magic and trap cards are rendered useless against my monsters. Your card is worthless." He tells him. "Then I play counter shield!" Yami says, revealing a card. "Which raises the attack points of one of Kaiba's monsters by the defense points of the monster I sacrifice, and I choose Big Sheild Guardner!" Yami says. Kaiba's Twilight Dragon's points raise to four thousand, defeating Diablos. Dartz, however, loses no life points once more due to his Kyutora.

"Mirror Knights! Attack the Pharaoh!" Dartz shouts. One by one they do so. First Yugi, than Joey and Mia. Pegasus brings up the rear. The Pharaoh holds out his duel disk to block his attack. "Yugi, do you have that card from the room?" he asks him. "What?" Yami says. "It is a key to unlocking the secret of the dragons!" Pegasus tells him. "What's wrong? Attack!" Dartz commands from the other side. Pegasus raises his sword and slashes the Pharaoh, leaving him with less life points then before.

"I'll leave this facedown." Dartz says. "And end my turn. Your turn, Kaiba. This is your final draw."

Kaiba's life points are a mere six hundred, the Pharaoh's fifteen hundred. Kaiba looks at the stone tablet of Alaster and thinks of how far he'd go to save his brother.

"This isn't over yet." He tells Dartz. "I play the Fang of Critias! He says, the monster appearing. "And if I know Yugi like I think I do, then I'll combine it with his face down mirror force card!" the card rises and the dragon and card fuse together. "attack Mirror Knight Four!" He says and the dragon aims at Pegasus. Pegasus holds up his shield and Kaiba reveals his dragon's special ability. "Now I'll reflect that back to all your monsters!" Kaiba says. The group gaps, worried about the souls of their friends. Yugi and Pegasus smile at the attack though. "You did it." Yugi says, as they are freed from the Orycalcos and return onto the wall.

The Kyutora begins glowing with a strange light before bursting. Instead it reforms as a giant monster, with twenty thousand attack points. "Meet Orycalcos Shinoras." Dartz says smiling at his monster. "And when it is summoned it summons Orycalcos Dekshia and Orycalcos Aisteros!"

Two more monsters appear on the floor. "As long as Orycalcos Shinaros is on the field, Dekshia and Aiteros can't be destroyed." Dartz tells them. "Their attack and defense points are always three hundred more than the other monster. They are the first targets as well." he says.

"Now I'll activate Curse Martyrdom Master! This allows me to force one of your cards to attack. And I'll choose Mirror force dragon!"

The attack begins, the Dragon's special ability worthless. It is destroyed, and Kaiba's life points drop to zero.

Before he begins though, he plays a card. "I play Hope of Desperation." He says. "Which allows the attack points of a monster that was destroyed to convert to life points. So I give them to Yugi." Kaiba says, and the Pharaoh's counter goes up by twenty eight hundred, leaving him with four thousand three hundred life points.

"Kaiba!" the Pharaoh says. "Any last words?" Dartz says as a miniature seal encloses around Seto. "Don't screw up." He tells Yami. "I fought too hard." He falls to the ground then, his soul appearing on a tablet.

"Seto!" Mokuba shouts, trying to break into the Seal. "Seto! No!"

"Mokuba, he's gone. You have to wait." Alyssa says, rushing in front of him and kneeling down, her hands on his shoulders so he looks at her. "Right now is not a good time to be trying to go in there." She tells him. "Well, I've gotten what I need." Dartz says, flicking a finger and having Seto's body thrown out. "It's okay, sweetie, it's okay." Alyssa says, a gentle hand on the sobbing Mokuba's face. "And now to balance out the equation…" Dartz says, seeing her. Suddenly the Seal expands and she is pulled in. She lets out a small cry of pain as she lands hard on her shoulder. "Alyssa!" the Pharaoh says, helping her up. "What am I doing in here?" she asks him as she stands up, still slightly shaky from moving through the Seal.

"You are here because you will be helping me obtain some more cards." Dartz says, another duel disk materializing in his hand. "What?" She asks. "Now if you'll come over here…" he says, moving his arm much in the way he had when he had thrown Seto out. "I…can't…" she says as she felt herself being pulled to the other side of the field. "What are you doing, Dartz?" the Pharaoh says, eyeing him angrily. "Oh, nothing.' He says. "I'm just a little interested in seeing how this will play out." He says as her life point counter activates. "I don't even know how to play!" she says as her hand takes out some cards. "Don't worry about it. You won't be playing anything anyway." He says.

"Then why am I here?" she asks, her feet rooted to the floor where she stands. "I have already told you why. Pay attention." He tells her. "Now to have a little fun." He says. A large eye appears behind him and a wave sweeps out knocking everyone outside the seal unconscious. Mokuba's cries for his brother to open his eyes halt as it reaches him, Tea and Tristan fall backwards with the power.

"Now you will see why I have waited for you Pharaoh." He says. "But first we must travel back to Egypt, thousands of years in the past…"

The trio is flying above ancient Egypt, looking down at the city above. Suddenly they zoom into an outdoor arena. Alyssa sees herself waiting by the doors of it. "That's me." She says surprised.

As she has walked half the distance they see her turn as she hears a growl from behind her. There is a large creature that looks as if it were part dragon and bird. _"I could have sworn that they were finished!" _ They hear her tell herself as she stares up at the giant animal, backing away from the creature slowly. It swipes out a claw at her and she turns, bolting terrified towards the covered walkway.

She dodges another swing of the monsters arm as she desperately tries to outrun the huge beast. It takes aim at her again. This time, though she dodges the brunt of the attack, the monster's hand catches her arm, slicing it with its razor sharp claws.

She lands a few feet away, backing against a pillar as she holds her arm tightly to try and slow the bleeding. She braces herself expecting its fist to plow into her, but it never comes. Instead she hears another voice. "By all the power of the millennium puzzle, I summon Obelisk, the Tormentor!"

"What's going on?" The pharaoh says as he sees himself in this vision of the past. A green fist appears from a portal as the large being takes place. "Now, Obelisk, destroy this outsider!" the Pharaoh sees himself shout. The green giant makes a fist of its own, punching the wayward animal. It flickers momentarily before disappearing.

"Are you alright?" The ancient Yami says, rushing over to her and kneeling beside her on the ground. "I'm fine." She says. "It merely cut my arm is all." She says. "I'll go back to clean it up." She states, beginning to stand. "No, stay still." The Pharaoh says. "Let me see that." He says, concerned. "No, it's not that bad, really." She says turning away, but he removes her hand covering her arm.

From the top of her shoulder to her elbow runs a long, deep gash, smaller scratches to its side. It is bleeding badly, and is clearly littered with dirt from when she fell. "Oh, baby." He says, removing his cape and tying it about her arm. "We're taking that to a doctor."

"I don't need a doctor." She says, pushing away his hands. "I know how to take care of such things myself." She says, beginning to stand again. "You needn't worry so much about it."

"You are still having that looked at." He says. "Fine." She tells him. "I'll have someone look at it. Go back to your matches. I know you enjoy them." "This is a little more important than a game" he says. "Besides, if I let you leave alone you won't go. I'm coming with you." He tells her. "Fine." She says. "Your being ridiculo-woah! Yami, it's my arm that's hurt, not my legs!" she says as he picks her up. "Put me down." She says, poking his chest lightly. "But I don't want to." he says and she sighs as he carries her off.

The Pharaoh and Alyssa had watched the small episode in silence. Now it switched to another. The Pharaoh was riding swiftly through the streets. "Ah! Here we are." Dartz says. "Right there. That's me." He says, and they see a man wearing a hooded cloak turn and watch the Pharaoh. "Why did you show us this?" the Pharaoh asks him.

"I thought you might want to know the exact moment when I realized that the Leviathan would be reborn." He tells them. "I'd seen you earlier. It was then when I felt the power of your soul, the darkness you carried with it, and the power I needed to resurrect the Leviathan."

"Why didn't you just come for me then?" The Pharaoh questions him. "It was not yet time. You were not yet ready." He tells him. "You are the root of darkness. You will bring the end of humanity; such darkness will always surround the cursed King. I knew it would only be a matter of time until I had your soul, that you would sacrifice it to my Leviathan."

"And…and what of me?" Alyssa asks him quietly. "Why am I there?" she says. "I thought you might find it interesting to know that you and the Pharaoh were close." He says simply. She looks across to the Pharaoh before returning her eyes to Dartz. "I…knew him?" she said, contemplating this. "But I was just…just a…" "A servant girl? Scrubbing woman? Oh yes, you were that too." "Then why-" "That is something you will figure out in due time." He tells her, pinching her cheek. She pushes his hand away and they return to the field, their friends still lying on the floor.

.:. Alyssa rolls over and opens her eyes before squeezing them shut again. Things were blurry at first and she still felt very dizzy. Her stomach hurt but she was used to that by now as well.

She sat up in her bed and heard someone drop what sounded like a clay pot or jug. She heard them shout to get someone but couldn't make out who they said. Finally she sat up, the room spinning for a few moments before her eyes. She glanced around the room and saw the shocked and uneasy faces of those around her. She put a hand to her head as it hurt.

"If I'm awake that means I have eaten, and if I have eaten that means Yami has stopped the Shadow Games." She says. "He has, hasn't he?" she asks them and sees them nod. "Thank heavens." She said, flopping onto her side with a smile. "I knew he could do it." She said. "He just needed a little push. Oh I can't wait to see him." She says.

She notices the eyes of the attendants as they begin whispering to one another. "As a matter of fact, I should probably see him now to let him know I'm okay. Where is he?" she asks them. "My lady," they say. "You are still weak from your fast." They told her. "Will you not stay in bed?" "Nonsense!" she says, leaning heavily against the wall for support as she stands. "Then perhaps we can call him to you?" One of them poses hopefully.

"Since when does the Pharaoh come to his Queen and not the other way around?" she says to them. "I'm fine really. If it will ease your minds I'll have somebody help me around." She tells them.

"Your Grace," they tell her. "It's not just that…" one of them begins, slowly, looking at the others. "Not what?" she asks, becoming worried. "You said he stopped the Shadow Games, correct?" she asks. "Well yes… he did." They say, not meeting her eyes. "And he is alright?" she asks, and they are quiet. "Is he alright?" she asks as someone leads her to sit down.

"Perhaps you should wait for Siamun to get here. Someone has sent for him and-" "No!" she says. "Where is he?"

"He's gone." Someone finally said. "What?" she asked, knowing what they meant but not wanting to believe it. "Where did he go?" she asked, still trying to cling to the false truth. "Have you checked his room?" "He's not there." One of them said. "What about the-" "He's not anywhere." The person repeated sadly as he saw her face. "I'm sorry."

"…No." she said, denying it. "No. You just…you just missed him. He's here somewhere. He has to be!" she said, getting up and stumbling against the wall for balance. "Your Grace, please," one of them said as they came towards her. "No!" she said and pushed them away. "I'll find him. He's here, you just haven't found him yet!"

She left the room, holding onto bits of furniture when the wall was too far away. She made her way to his room. "Yami?" she called for him, looking through the chambers. The attendants followed her wordlessly, but she knew the looks in their eyes. "One more place." She said, walking around. She went downstairs to the hall, nearly giving those who were trailing behind her a heart attack when she stumbled on one of the stairs. She had caught the railing however. "Yami?" she asked the empty room. "Has my husband been here today?" she asked someone who was standing by the doors. They looked at her, shocked. "Has my husband been here?" she repeated, her eyes wide with fear.

The man said nothing and she left to search elsewhere. "Yami?" she said when she went out to the courtyard. "Yami, are you here?" she asked, near to tears. She felt a hand on her shoulder and turned to see his advisor.

"Siamun!" she said with relief. "Do you know where Yami is?" she asked him. He sighed and nodded. "Please, take me to him." She said, hoping that he was here to tell her there was some mix up and he was fine. He led her by the arm to another room, one with a long hallway. They entered it and there on pedestals sat the millennium items.

"No." she whispered seeing them. "No…no…no, no!" she shouted, falling to her knees and sobbing before the box that she knew contained the millennium puzzle. "No!" she screamed, sobs wracking her body as she collapsed.

"He did what he needed to do." Siamun says to her, blinking back his own tears. "He's been locked away inside his puzzle as the rest have into their own items. They sacrificed themselves to stop the Shadow Games. He wanted me to tell you not to cry and that he's sorry. He also says he loves you very much."

"He can't be gone." She said, still sobbing. "He can't be!" "He is, until that puzzle is solved. "Then give it to me." She shouts, her face still buried in her arms. "I've solved it before, I can do it again!" she persists. "Give it to me!" She got up and walked over to the pedestal it sat on.

"You know you can't do that." Siamun said, grabbing her hand as she collapsed onto him, crying again. "Yami..." She said. "Yami, no."

Siamun handed her her shell. "He had this with him every moment you were unconscious." He told her. She took it and ran her fingers over the smooth layer of the shell. "Who did it?" she asked him. "Who did what?" he asked her. "Who helped lock them away?" she asked. "They couldn't have done it on their own. They'd need someone to seal them in at the end."

Siamun looked uncomfortable. "It was you, wasn't it?" she asked him. "I had to." He said. "Good." She told him. "Now you're putting me in as well."

"What?" he asked her. "You have to be joking! It is folly!" "I'm not joking." She said, looking at him. "There are other things," Siamun told her. "There is so much you can do," he told her. "I don't care." She repeated. "Without Yami it matters nothing to me. I want you to put me in."

"But what would you do?" Siamun asks her. "Why bother? It will not be easy for you. The Pharaoh might not even have his memory when he is released." Siamun says. "He might not even remember himself, much less you. Besides, in your present state you might just end up being destroyed. At least wait a few days." He tells her. "I don't care!" she tells him. "You ask me what I'd do, well I'll tell you. To be there for him when he's given up on himself. To have faith in him when he no longer can. To wipe away his tears as he has done with mine, so that he need never feel a single bit of pain. To give up everything to see him smile. To be there when he laughs, cries, hurts, fears, and dreams. You ask me why I'd bother. It's because I love him."

"How much time do you need to get the energy?" she asks him. "Well…" he begins looking at those around him. "You have one song." She tells him. 'What?" he asks.

"I play my song for you." She whispers. "The same song that brought us together before will bring us together again."

And she began to play, infusing the song with all the laughs they had laughed, the tears they had cried. Into it she poured all her emotions, her fears and dreams that might never come true. And as she played the staff Siamun held onto radiated light from a central stone at the top. As her song reached it's climax it burst into an elaborate brightness, blinding all those around it. And it dimmed as the notes of the song fell quietly into silence. She had finished.

Her body lay motionless on the floor, her shell still clutched in her fingers. Siamun walked up and took it, a few notes seeming to echo the room out of nowhere as those around shuddered. He placed it on the velvet pillow next to the millennium puzzle.

"It is done." He said quietly. "And I feel they are together."

At that, he exited the room.


	31. Chapter 31

.:."Joey….Joey….Joey!" Yugi shouts to him as he floats in his bubble. "Wha?" Joey says, opening his eyes. "What's going on Yugi?" he says. "Where are we?" "I don't know, Joey." Yugi tells him. "We're about to be sacrificed to the Great Leviathan." Pegasus tells him. "Hey Pegasus!" Joey calls to him. "Your driver made me lose some luggage, you'll be paying for that I hope you know!" "Whatever." Pegasus says. "Hey! Look, it's those three goons!" Joey says. "And Kaiba! Wait, what's Kaiba doing in here?" he asks. "Kaiba came in just a bit ago." Yugi tells Joey. "Wha? That means that Yami's out there dueling that Dartz guy alone!" Joey says.

"I wouldn't worry, Joey." Yugi says. "I think Yami can beat Dartz. He just needs some more time." "Yeah, well he'd better if that thing has an attack of twenty thousand."

"He only needs my card!" Pegasus tells them. "What?" they ask. The card that I hid in the room at industrial illusions. He did find it, right?" "Well, yeah. But what's that do? It's just a blank card!" Joey says.

"It may appear to be a blank card, but it isn't." Pegasus says."I went to Egypt. There were tales of three legendary dragons that were used against this evil before, but they were sleeping away their wounds that they had received in the battle. That card will reunite the dragons, calling forth their power and unlocking their secret. I believe that Yugi is the one that can unlock the power of that card and free the dragons."

"My head is aching." Alyssa says as they returned from the flashback. "Perhaps you should lie down then." Dartz tells her. "I would if I could." She says. "Unfortunately, I'm stuck in here!" she reminds him. "Oh, that's nothing." Dartz says, putting the tip of his finger in between her eyes, a small light glowing at the tip. "Stop" she says, trying to push his hand away but is unable to. "Go to sleep." He tells her. "No…" she mumbles, but the Pharaoh can see she is having trouble staying on her feet. "Dartz!" he says. "Don't you dare!"

"Don't dare what?" Dartz says, not turning away from her as she progressively wobbles worse and worse. "You are not going to incapacitate her to retrieve her soul." He tells him. "What? And how would I do that?" he says. "If you are unable to remain in a duel, you have to forfeit." The Pharaoh says. "She did not want to start; you are not going to take her soul if she falls asleep by your doing." He says.

"Oh fine then." He tells the Pharaoh. "I won't take her soul…now. I'll get it later." He says. A light issues forth from his fingers and she gives a small cry as she falls. Dartz pays her the courtesy of catching her before laying her on the ground.

"Thank you." The Pharaoh says. "Have you not begin to wonder yet?" he asks him. "What do you mean?" the Pharaoh says. "Why she was there, in your past." Dartz taunts him. "Of course I have wondered." Yami says. "But now is not the time."

"Really?" Dartz asks him. "Not even after you showed such concern for her, even lifted her up and carried her off?" "Now is not the time." The Pharaoh repeats, more to himself than Dartz. "So you are deserting the memory then?" he asks. "What?" the Pharaoh says confused. "Just as your friends have deserted you." He says.

"What do you mean?" the Pharaoh asks him again. "Take a look around, Pharaoh." Dartz says. "At all your supporters. They aren't cheering for you now, are they?" he asks him. "They can't. You've knocked them all down." The Pharaoh says. "Your not fooling me, Dartz." The Pharaoh tells him. "Your word games are not going to stop me from bringing back Yugi and fulfilling the promises I made to him, all my friends, my monsters."

"Hmph. Mission. Such a thing never existed! What you speak of is merely a gear within the machine of fate." Dartz says. "Gear…of fate?" The Pharaoh says. "That's right. The duel monsters, your friends, my father and my daughter, they had no idea that it was _you_ that is the reason behind this world's destruction. And so they entrusted you with their hopes! The tragedy of ten thousand years past…you are only trying to revive it! No, you weren't satisfied with the destruction of Egypt three thousand years ago."

"So that means everything I have done up till now…my existence…I?" "Had no meaning from the very beginning!" "You lie! I refuse to believe sucha thing! It's my turn. I activate pot of greed and summon my Obnoxious Celtic Guardian in defense. I'll place this face down and end my turn."

"Then I will activat4e Orycalcos Deteros!" Dartz says. "His points are always three hundred higher than the monster attacking! If I attack, you re gone this turn. Attack!"

"I reveal my face down card!" the Pharaoh says. "By giving up half my life points, I negate the attack and your turn is ended."

"You still linger!" Dartz says. "But look around you, all the friends who have watched over you are gone. The bonds you believe in no longer exist! What have you to gain by suffering through this now? Try to think. Even now, do you still really think you can win?"

"_He has twenty thousand life points…his monster is unstoppable, and three seals of Orycalcos…Can I still win?"_ The Pharaoh thinks to himself. "Accept the facts. What can you do? You are here to give your soul to the Orycalcos, to right all the wrongs you have done. Even if you remember, all that awaits you is tragedies. I am the only one that has shouldered the same fate. Only I can understand you. The least you can do is put an end to your suffering with your own hand…"

"With my own hand?" the Pharaoh says, looking at his life point counter. "Go to your friends." Dartz says to him. "My friends…Kaiba, Joey, Yugi…if I lose them I have nothing…nothing remains. So I will disappear.."

"Go, Seal of Orycalcos!" Dartz says, his words having put an intoxicating effect on the Pharaoh, slowly having warped his mind. He watches. "Let it take you…that's right, don't fight it." He tells the Pharaoh.

A solitary tear falls onto the puzzle and in a wave his friends are surrounding him again. "What's this?" Dartz says as the puzzle glows. The Seal closes in but there is something…something keeping it from holding onto the Pharaoh's soul.

"I have something inside of me." The Pharaoh says as the Seal is once more banished to the edges of the playing field. "Memories, memories that I have formed in this life. Friendships that I had lost thousands of years ago to be reborn, to come here, and change the course of the future! It's my turn!" the Pharaoh says, his old self back.

"_This is the card that Pegasus gave me, I'm sure of it."_ He thinks to himself as he looks upon the card. "Now I play, Legend of Heart!" The Three Dragons are called to the field and soar into the ceiling, where gray clouds and lightning flashes. "Who calls upon us? Who awakens us after our soul's slumber?" One of them calls down. "I call upon you, and turn you into your true forms!" the Pharaoh says.

"We are Tameaus!" Tameaus says as lightning strikes the field and he appears. "We are Critias." Another says, the same thing occurring. "And we are Hermos." The last one says appearing.

"This is the true form of the dragons!" Dartz says. The three knights slam their swords into the ground together and the Seal shatters. "No! This is impossible! The Seal!" Dartz shouts. "Our bonds are absolute!" Helmos says. "Your Seal shall not affect us!" Critias says. "The scar you inflicted upon me…now is the time for my vengeance!" Tameaus says.

"Critias, attack Shonoros with your ability to destroy all monsters with mirror force as well!" the Pharaoh tells him. Soon after, the unstoppable Shonoros is defeated. "No!" Dartz says. "Yes!" The Pharaoh shouts.

"Fine." Dartz says. "But when Shonoros is destroyed, my Leviathan is specially summoned to the field! First I have to give up all of my life points." Dartz says, his counter dropping to zero. "What?" the Pharaoh says. "And Imust discard all the cards in my hand." He says, depositing them in the graveyard. "However I do not lose until my Leviathan is lost!" he says. The portal grows wider as the massive head of a black dragon appears. Yami gasps as he sees the symbol underneath it, that of infinite.

"Draw your card, Pharaoh." Dartz tells him. "It will be your last." The Pharaoh does so and sees that he has drawn the dark magician girl. He remembers his promise to her, and lays a card face down.

"Attack him, my serpent!" Dartz shouts. It does so, destroying Tameaus. "It's over. Ring of Seal!" Dartz shouts, the seal enclosing around the Pharaoh. However it repels backwards.

"What?" Dartz shouts angrily. "I played Relay of Soul." The Pharaoh says. "I summoned Dark Magician Girl to the field. As with your monster, though my life points are now at zero, I will not lose until she is removed from the field." He looks to Dark Magician Girl. "My life is in your hands now," he says and she nods.

Dartz plays Impact revive, and Timeaus returns from the graveyard with a five hundred attack point boost. Dartz now continuously deposits ten cards into the graveyard to use the infinite attack, firing it at Dark Magician Girl.

" I summon Celtic Guardian and combine it with Helmos to defend Dark Magician girl!" Yami cries and so it is done. He draws a card. "Critias, Helmos, attack the Great Leviathan!" he shouts. Dartz laughs as he sees such things. "The attack is futile. They can not beat his infinite points." Dartz tells him.

"Not quite." Yami says. "I activate Attack Transfer Barrier, which allows my monsters to transfer there attacks. See how they bounce back and forth due to the special abilities when used by the card, multiplying them all the way up to infinite." He says as the symbol appears between their swords. "Triple the attack for sacrificing three monsters." He tells Dartz. "Another of their unique special abilities." The magnet warriors are sacrificed and the attack is three times infinite. "And now I'll use the special ability of Timaeus to fuse together my three knights into one, the United Divine Dragon!"

The monsters fuse into one giant one. "Attack!" the Pharaoh shouts and they do, a large crack splitting into the other dimension. "Hey, what's that?" Joey says. "It looks like a crack!" Yugi says. "Let's go to it!" they say.

"Dartz, you have lost, now release the souls as you promised!" the Pharaoh says. Suddenly a large black dragon comes out from behind Dartz and snaps him up. "Dartz!" Yami shouts. A faint song is heard in the background as wind whips around the room. The Knights retrieve the souls of the three chosen duelists, Joey, Kaiba and Yugi.

"These are?" the Pharaoh begins and the knights nod at him. One goes to Kaiba's body, the other outside to Joey's in the plane. A small ball of light stops in front of him. "Yugi." He says, smiling, as it enters into him.

"Mokuba…Mokuba, wake up." Kaiba says, gently shaking his little brother. "Mhmmm." Mokuba groans as he wakes up. "Mokuba, are you alright?" Seto asks him concerned. "Seto!" Mokuba shouts, hugging his brother tightly. Seto smiles and pats his brother on the head, hugging him in return.

Honda wakes up and noticing Kaiba, runs out to check on Joey. "Yugi?" Tea asks, looking at him from behind. "Yugi, are you back?" she asks. Slowly Yugi turns. "Hey Tea!" he says, happily. "Yugi!" she shouts and rushes up to give him a hug.

Tristan walks in giving Joey noogies. "Yugi!" Joey says afer shaking Tristan off, picking up the small boy. "Aw man, we're so happy to see you're back." He says, rubbing his head as Tristan had done his.

"I'm so glad to see everyone's okay again." Mokuba says. "Not everyone." Yugi says quietly, noticing Raphael's limp body still. "Just…us."

"Alyssa…" Yugi hears the Pharaoh say as he kneels over her across the room. "What is it, Yami?" he asks turning towards him. "What're you looking at, Yugi?" Joey says, seeing him turned around. "Oh no!" he says, spying her unconscious body on the floor.

Yugi walks over to him, switching. "Alyssa…" the Pharaoh said, trying to wake her. "Alyssa, it's time to wake up." She merely lays still, unmoving, her body rising and falling with her breath. "She's out of it." Joey says. "No…" the Pharaoh says, his heart stopping and his blood running cold. "I…I believe it's much worse."

"Mr. Kaiba!" a man says running in. "You should come out and take a look at this." Yugi switches with the Pharaoh and they walk outside once more.

All across the sky are heavy black clouds where lightning bolts crash into each other. A whirlpool has formed in the middle of the ocean, and waterspouts were everywhere. "They say it is like this all over the world." The man says. A black shape lumbers through the sky.

"The real leviathan is still out there. That's why all this is happening, why not everyone was released." Yugi decides. Above them they see the city of Atlantis floating. "They say that because of that there is a massive tsunami that is going to hit the East coast of America in an hour." Remembering seeing a portal inside the temple he says "We have to go through that portal. It's the only way. Maybe if we stop the monster things will go back o normal."

"You stay here." Kaiba tells them all, walking back in. "I'll do it." "Not quite, Kaiba." Joey says. "I'm in on this too. I'd still like to get out Mai and Valin." "But you guys, you just got your souls back!" Tea says, distressed. "Tea, if we don't do this, the whole world will be in trouble. " Yugi says. Tea is quiet for a moment. "I understand." She says. "You'd like to see Yami, wouldn't you?" he asks her "No. As yourself." She tells him. "Promise me something, that you'll come back safe, okay?" she tells him. "I promise." He says. "And…" she begins again. "Good luck." "Right." He says, turning to catch up with the others.

They enter the Palace again and begin walking towards the portal, Kaiba leading. The millennium puzzle shines and Yugi switches with Yami. "What is it?" he asks. "The God cards!" Yami says, finding them in the mouths of the dragons. "But, it's as if they've been drained of all their power.

Yami and Yugi catch up to the others. "You'll be needing these." He says, returning Helmos and Critias to them. In front of the portal they see Dartz's face. "Come in, I dare you!" he says, laughing evilly. They hop through the portal and emerge on the island. Below them they can see the disturbed waters. Yami sees an image of Dartz in the air and tries to touch it but it vanishes. "Yami," he hears a soft voice say, and turns to see the ghostly image of Alyssa standing before him.

"Alyssa!" he says, and she floats down to him. "Why are you… how come you…" "Sometimes people need a little help. Even legendary monsters, or chosen duelists." She says looking up at him, her voice slightly echoing with her form. "But, why?" he asks her. "I knew you'd need Joey, Kaiba…Yugi." She says. "And they couldn't summon them alone…so I made a deal. That I'd trade myself in for their safe return."

"But Dartz already promised them to us." "That doesn't mean he was going to keep his promise." She tells him. "Listen, this is my gift, what the Seal is giving me for my offering, as it gave Yugi the chance to meet with you while he too was inside. I haven't much time before I have to go back."

"But-" the Pharaoh begins. "Shh…" she tells him gently, putting a finger on his lips to quiet him. "Now, it's going to come, and it will be big and it will be scary. But know this: You _can_ beat it. Not with this." She says, placing a finger lightly on his forehead. "But with this." She says, placing her hand on his heart. He reached up and held it, noticing that she looked at her hand in his with such longing. "I guess there's one more thing I should say." She began, looking back at him. "Something I've been wanting to say for a long while, and should before I lose this courage to do so."

She paused a second. "I love you, Pharoah."

And she reached up and kissed him, the Pharaoh stunned at such forwardness from the girl who would never even look in his eyes. He just stood there, astonished. She, sensing this, grew nervous. _"You fool."_ She told herself, ashamed. _"How could you ever think he would want you?"_

She froze and began to pull away in her embarrassment, cursing herself before she felt him pull her in and kiss her deeply. Once more she became dizzy and lost in his arms, her head swimming when he finally released her.

"I told you you liked her!" Yugi said, jumping on Yami's back and giving him noogies as Joey whistled. Kaiba merely looked away. "I have to go now." She said, blushing. "I'll see you after you win." She tells him, and disappears in a burst of light.

"So what does this mean, eh Pharaoh?" Joey asked him. "You two datin' now or whatever?" "I don't know." The Pharaoh said, himself a little red. "I-" "May I remind you why we are here?" Kaiba said. "Oh yeah!" Joey says. "But we'll be talking about this later." He tells the Pharaoh slapping him on the back.

They begin walking throughout the town when they hear the surging water beneath them. "You don't think that would be it?" Joey asks. "She said it would be big." Yami reminds him. The monster appears from the Whirlpool and wraps itself around the entire island of Atlantis!

Dartz laughs where he stands. "That is one, ugly pimple." Joey says. "Wait a second, that's Dartz!" he says after taking a moment to look closer. "Yes, how good of you to notice." Dartz tells him dryly. " I decided to fuse with the Leviathan myself to give it the kick it needed. But wait, you're missing one of the main attractions. Why don't I bring her out for show?" he says. The unconscious body of Alyssa appears next to him, laying on top of the ugly monster's giant nose. Black tentacles surround her arms, holding her onto the monster's head.

"Alyssa!" the Pharaoh shouts. Thinking back he remembered that she was no longer there when they went back into the room. He'd been so caught up with the God cards and the portal that he had forgotten.

"Let her go!" he shouted angrily to Dartz. "And why should I do that?" he asks. "Black Magician, Summoned Skull, Kuriboh!" the Pharaoh says, drawing a host of monsters and laying them on his duel disk. "Flame swordsman, Psych shocker, and Red Eyes Black Dragon!" Joey shouts, doing the same. "Come out, Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon! And Gadget soldier!" Kaiba shouts. The monsters fly towards the Leviathan. "And the three legendary dragons!" they say as they each summon their monsters. "Legend of Heart! The Pharaoh shouts and they turn back into their true forms as men. Kaiba and Joey gasp as they see this.

"I play multiply with my Kurribo, and my Knight Timaeus." He says. The action is done and Timeaus attacks the Leviathan with multiple light attacks from his sword. The three think that they have finally beaten it when the dragon unwraps itself, but are surprised when they see it has not taken any damage.

The Great Beast begins roaring and attacks. "Timeaus with Big shield Guardner!" The pharaoh shouts. Timeaus puts up a shield around the players, and all but the three knights and duelists disappear in the blast from the leviathan. There is a bright light and everyone looks up.

There is an aurora, and suddenly all the duel monsters are attacking the leviathan. Consistently and constantly they pound away at it, led by the dark magician girl. The duelists once again place many monsters on their disks, attempting to help in the fight. Dartz laughs once more as the ugly creature lashes its viscous beam upon all the monsters. Each is destroyed. Finally, even the three Knights fall and disappear.

"Is it time now, Pharaoh?" he asks him. "What?" the Pharaoh asks. "Earlier you said that you did not want to pause to consider why exactly this small girl was in your past, why you apparently were so close. I ask you, is it time now?"

Thinking that this may at least buy them some time, not to mention he is curious as well, the Pharaoh finally agrees. "Fine." He tells Dartz. "What is it you are so eager to show me? What is it about her? Why do I know her?"

"The answer is simple, really.' He tells him, as a large portal opens up in the sky. "You see, it all began one night many years ago, as you were walking back to your room…"

And the events of his past played as if a movie on a scre screen in the sky. As he watched, he remembered, his head aching slightly with the memories as they came. He watched as they met, as she desperately tried to hold onto her home. Finally she lost it and came to live with him, at the palace. The Pharaoh noticed some things that were similar as they went on. He remembered seeing her outside sitting on a log. Here she was in the past on a bench, playing.

"_This is a rather strange instrument. I haven't seen it before, much less heard it played." He tells her, examining it in his hands. "That's because I am the only one I know of that can play it." She replies. "Really?" the Pharaoh says, interested. "Where did you get this?" He asks, turning it around in his fingers. "I didn't" she says. "You didn't?" he questions. "Then how did you get it?"_

_She hesitates and looks at her hands.. "I saw it in a dream." She tells him. "I saw what I needed to do to make it. I found what I needed and created it myself. That is why no one else has one or can play." "Surely if you taught someone they could. Do you mind if I try?"_

"_Of course, my Lord." she says, her head still down. The pharaoh picks it up, looking at it, trying to get his fingers to look as hers did. Figuring he had it close enough, he tried to imitate the way she'd moved it. All that came out were a few squeaks, a meep, and a squawk._

_Alyssa begins to laugh a little at this. "Well, no one does it right on the first try." The pharaoh says, slightly embarrassed. At this she stops. "I'm so sorry- I- I didn't mean to insult you. Of course no one gets it right on the first try-I- I was being silly. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have-""You know you don't have to worry. I'm not mad." The pharaoh says, looking at her, as she begins to rush into another apology. _

Right after she had come to the palace and he was talking with her it happened again.

"_So you like the room then?" he questioned her. "Not room, sir, rooms." She told him. "It's wonderful. More than I deserve."_

"_Not more then you deserve." The Pharaoh said. "Just more than you would ask for."_

He remembered something similar happening as they were walking home one night, his mind flashing back.

"_How is the room, by the way?" Yami asks her, looking at her as she averts her own gaze. "It's wonderful." She says plainly. I still don't think that I ought to be in it. What if someone important needs to stay?" "Then they can use the other guest room" Yami says. "It took us long enough to get you into their, we aren't going to kick you out." "But-" "Don't bother, Alyssa." Joey says, winking at her. "Once Gramps has his mind set, no one can change it. Not even you." "Oh..." She sighs._

"_It's more than I deserve." She says, putting her hands in her pockets as she walks. "It's not more than you deserve." The Pharaoh says. "Just more than you would ask for."_

A few more times, little things as they went along. "No wonder you had the hots for her." Joey says to him. "You two were married!" he says as they're wedding passes. Yami remembers a few other things from that night and is exceedingly happy that Dartz either did not know them himself or had the grace not to display them to the world. Some things were better left private.

He gasped as he watched the past when she had tried to warn him.

"_No, I don't." she admits quietly. "Just my visions." She looks away before returning her entreating eyes to his. "Please, trust me on this?" she asks him. "I'm afraid not this time." He tells her. "You're having nightmares because of what happened. That is all. You're scared and it's okay, but I'm not going to stop because you can't get over your fear. There is no reason to do such an action." The Pharaoh says. "Please, Believe me!" she says, her voice growing louder as she pleads. "Don't raise your voice to me." He says, narrowing his eyes. "When do I tell you not to do something?" she attempts. "Please, believe me when I say, don't do this! Stop this now, before it is too late! No good can come of this. Stop this now, before it is too late." She repeats, softer._

"_I've had enough of this." He says. "I'm leaving." He tells her. "No", she says defiantly, holding on to him. "Let go." Yami says as she tries to hold onto his arm. "Do I have to get on my knees and beg you?" she asks him. "You need to rest and clear your mind of these foolish thoughts." He tells her. "Yami don't be a fool!" she says loudly._

"_Don't you speak to me like that!" he barks at her. Shocked and frightened she takes a step backwards, away from him. "You may be my queen, but you are still one of my subjects, and you will not argue with me!" "Yami, I-" she begins but is cut off by his next statement. "I'll remind you that if it weren't for me you wouldn't even be here now. You'd be in the streets or some poor, broken down old house while you take care of those who could hardly be considered parents as you work yourself away trying to form some pathetic excuse for a life."_

And then it had been excruciatingly similar in the present.

"_But I know, I just know if you do that something bad will happen." She tries to explain, the flickers of her vision coming quick enough for her to receive these feelings but flickering away before she could even begin to remember. "Oh? And have you any proof of this? Any evidence that will help to prove your cause?" he asks her. "No, I don't." she says, looking away before returning her entreating eyes to his. "Please, trust me on this?" she asks him. "I'm afraid not this time." He tells her. "The only thing standing between victory and I, and my ridding us all of this nuisance is five hundred attack points, five hundred attack points that I can gain with this card. I'll take him down with his own card," The Pharaoh says. "Please, Believe me!" she says, her own voice growing a louder. "Don't raise your voice to me." He says, narrowing his eyes. "When do I tell you not to do something?" she attempts. "Please, believe me when I say, don't do this! Stop this now, before it is too late! No good can come of this. Stop this now, before it is too late." She repeats, softer._

"_I've had enough of this." He says. "Release my arm now." He tells her. "No", she says defiantly, holding on to it. "I said let go!" the Pharaoh yells, pulling back on his arm harshly so that it flings her to the ground. She lands on her side, bleeding from the various rocks and pebbles that lay on the ground. "Pharaoh," She says, tears in her eyes._

"_Please, believe me when I say, don't do this! Stop this now, before it is too late! No good can come of this. Stop this now, before it is too late."_

"She tried to stop me." He said, shocked as the words rang through his mind once more. "Twice, with the same words. And twice I cast her down." He says, angered at himself. He watched as she went searching for him, room by room after he had sacrificed himself to stop the very games she had told him he needed to.

Finally it comes to a close. "Why did you show me this?" the Pharaoh says quietly, having actually _remembered_ the events as he saw them. "The more memories you have, the stronger a soul you become." Dartz tells him. "Next to mine, there is yours and than that of your wife's. Unfortunately she did not realize what strength there was in her soul from her age when she decided to hand it over. She did not know it would replace that of the chosen ones that exited when combined with my own."

The Pharaoh remembered how his head had hurt when he was with her. "You!" he asked Dartz. "What did you do?" "Finally realized it Pharaoh?" Dartz said, grinning down at him evilly. "I knew that the moment you two found each other that memories of what had happened between you in the past would come crashing down like a waterfall. I couldn't take the chance of your becoming too secure, so I blocked them."

"That's right." He said, seeing understanding in the Pharaoh's eyes. "Every time your head hurt, when you thought you knew her but couldn't be sure, that was me at work. I think I did a good job of suppressing all your memories." He said.


	32. Chapter 32

"Now, get him!" Dartz shouted. Suddenly thick black vines like those they had noticed earlier erupted from the monster, entwining them around the Pharaoh, Kaiba, and Joey. They were pulled onto the monster as it tried to absorb them. Joey and Kaiba are being sucked in. "It's pulling me down!" Joey says, struggling. "Glad you noticed, Wheeler!" Kaiba says trying to free himself. The Pharaoh sticks out his arm on top as he feels himself being pulled deeper.

"Don't give up, Pharaoh!" Yugi calls to him. He hears the Dark Magician girl cry in the background. "Listen to the darkness in your minds." Dartz says to them, his voice resonating throughout the beast. "Give in to the darkness of your hearts." He tells them.

"No!" Yugi says as they try and hold on. "Think of the light, all the good things in you!" Throughout the beast in the bubbles, those who had already begun to become embedded in the monster thoughts changed. "Think, remember!" he said. Mai let a solitary tear fall as she remembered the touching things Valin and Joey had done for her. Alaster smiled as he thought of his brother, and the way things were before. Raphael thought of the duel where the Pharaoh had finally cleared his mind and heart, how things used to be with his own family. "Remember…" Yugi says again. "Remember what it is you are fighting for."

Suddenly light appears all over the dragon, each person lending a bit of theirs out to the Pharaoh. "Take mine." Joey says, tossing it towards him. "You're the one that needs to get out, Pharaoh." He tells him. "And mine." Kaiba says, tossing it as he is pulled further in. All the lights congregate in the Pharaoh's duel disk, his arm the only part that hadn't been taken under.

"_And mine."_ He hears Alyssa's voice whisper, and a last sparkle of light flies in.

"In the name of the Pharaoh." He says, feeling the power inside him awakening. "I call upon the Egyptian gods!"

Kaiba, Joey, and Yami are shot safely out of the Leviathan, landing safely on the floating isle. Above them they can see a great light in the sky where the clouds separate and the forms of the three Egyptian gods begin to form.

"They may need my help." Yami says to Yugi as he reenters the soul state. "Right." Yugi nods at him. A small ball of light flies up; it is the Pharaoh's soul. It reaches the Gods, leading them towards the great beast. "Obelisk, Ra, and Slifer!" he shouts to them. The three charge up. "Attack!" he shouts and they launch their beams down at the Leviathan, who tries to block it wit one of its own. The gods combined power is too strong, however, and the beast explodes, falling into the ocean. As it does so the souls of all who had been entrapped within it are released. Weevil and Rex can be heard screaming as their souls fly away towards wherever their bodies may be.

"Mikey!" Alaster says, as he swirls around him as he wakes up. "I'll be waiting for you big brother.' He says, laughing and flying away. Raphael enjoys a special moment with his family members. "We'll see you later, Raphael." His younger brother tells him. "Keep up the good dueling!" his small sister says, and they fly off.

"C'mon, Mai." Valin says, leading her out. "Those three did it. We're free now." Mai takes his hand and they walk off.

The ground beneath them shakes as Atlantis begins to rumble. "We've got to get out of here." Kaiba says. "Back to the portal. Let's go." They begin to run off. "Yugi, wait!" The Pharaoh says, and Yugi stops. "What're you doing, man?" Joey asks. "I'll be right there. You guys go on without me." Yugi says. "But-" "C'mon, Wheeler," Kaiba says and pulls him through.

"They're all right!" Tea says as they exit the palace. "Where's Yugi?" she asks. "He's still up there?" she asks him. "Yes, but he's fine. He wanted to check something out." Joey says. "Oh, I knew he was fine. Raphael told me so." She says, nodding at the man behind. "Hey, Raphael. Long time no see." Joey says as they begin chatting.

"What is that, Dartz?" Yugi asks him as he stares at the dark dragon that had formed out of dark clouds emitting from his body. "It's a manifestation of the darkness in one's mind, heart, and soul." He says to them. Timeaus emerges to protect his master and directly attacks the dragon. The Pharaoh sees he is badly hurt. "Timeaus, go back and rest." He tells him and the legendary knight does so. "Go on Yugi." Yami tells him. "This is what I must do. It is my duty."

Suddenly the dark dragon lunges at the Pharaoh. The pain that it causes him as the darkness tries to take over him is so great it causes him to scream. "Yami!" Yugi says, trying to help. "No, Yugi. Stay back." He tells him. "This is my fight, my battle." He says. "I need to do this." They both think back to the time where Yami first fought Raphael and had refused to listen to Yugi. They both knew this time was different.

"I need to beat this darkness." He tells Yugi. "But Pharaoh, you already did when you fought me in the duel." Yugi says. "That was just the first step, Yugi." Yami tells him. "There is still a long journey yet to come." The Pharaoh braces himself as the eye once more appears on his forehead, his power emerging to eliminate this darkness. A flame enters into the swirling mass and the dragon lets out a shrill wounded cry. Its body becomes smaller and smaller, until finally it disappears. All around the world the sky clears, the tornadoes, water spouts, tsunamis…all stop.

Yami collapses from the effort, Yugi catching him as he falls. "It is gone." He tells Yugi, looking up at him with a smile. Suddenly Dartz falls down to the ground himself, and a bright light comes up next to him. Ironheart and Chris appear as they had in the days of old, their costumes gleaming. "My son." Ironheart says with a smile.. "Father…" he says, waking up. "We need to-" "Everything has been taken care of by the Pharaoh." Ironheart says, looking at Yami. "Thank you for saving my father, Pharaoh." Chris says, bowing her head.

The Pharaoh looks at Dartz who says nothing but smiles back. He sees that his eyes are both gold again, the darkness and power of the Orycalcos had left him. "Come father, and have a rest with me." Chris says, taking his hand." Mother is waiting for us too." She tells him. Dartz smiles up at her. "Of course." He tells her, holding her tiny hand and getting up.

"It is time for you to leave now." Ironheart says to the Pharaoh and he gets up. "Yes, but," the Pharaoh begins. 'I know. It has all been taken care of." He nods and the Pharaoh smiles.

Atlantis falls into the ocean again as they leave. "Hurry! We have to go!" Mokuba says as they get into the helicopter. "But-" "We haven't any time." Kaiba says. "The moment that thing falls there will be a wave that will sweep this away unless we get off the ground _now_."

"Come on man, you just have to trust Yugi. He knows what he's doing." Tristan says as they climb on. They fly up quickly just as the wave hits. Looking down all worry about Yugi…


	33. Chapter 33

"I'm sorry Valin." Mai says as she rides off on her bike. "And Joey. I can't face you all right now." She speeds up and flies further off.

Valin wakes up and sees a card that Mai has left for him, though she was no longer there.

On the beach of an island Yugi lays against the sand, the sun warming his face. A wave comes up and the water sprays his face, waking him. He rolls over and coughs slightly at some of the water that he swallowed while he was unconscious.

He looks over and sees the Pharaoh kneeling over Alyssa, still sleeping.

"Alyssa…" he says gently. "Alyssa, wake up."

He lets out a sigh of relief as he sees her scrunch up her nose the way she always had and her eyes blink without opening. She groans as she rolls onto her side, her eyes blinking once more. Rolling onto her back again, she looks up into the Pharaoh's eyes.

"Yami…" she says in a whisper. "Is it really you?" "Yes." He says, a small tear forming in the corner of his eye. "Oh Yami," she says, putting a hand to his face. "Five thousand years but it's worth it all to see your face one more time."

He hugs her to him and she leans against him. "You don't know how horrible it was." She told him, crying in her happiness and relief. "Shh…" he told her as he pressed her tightly to him and kissed the top of her head. "I'm here now."

Yugi smiled as he saw the scene. After a few minutes they stood up. The dark magician girl was waiting for them as well as the three knights.

"Pharaoh." She told him. "You haven't any idea how thankful we are." She tells him. "I'm only happy I could help." He says, Yugi and Alyssa standing on either side of him. "But it wasn't just me." He said.

"And we could never have done it without your help." He says to the knights. They nod to him. "Pharaoh." The Dark magician girl says. "For you we have a small gift, from all the monsters in our realm." She says. The three put their swords together and a light comes out, descending upon Alyssa.

"What did it do?" she asks them, confused. "We realize that Yugi and the Pharaoh must share a body," Dark Magician girl says. "But we also realize that such love should not be restrained by physical bonds. And so, when you wish it, you may change so that you can be with the Pharaoh."

"Really?" Alyssa asks, looking at her husband. "Yes. But that is not all." The Dark magician girl says. "This too, is from us." She makes a few motions with her hands and light once more falls down upon the Pharaoh and Yugi. "So that all your friends may see the both of you." She said smiling.

The two look at each other and smile. Hearing a helicopter up ahead, they look up and see the Kaiba Corporation logo on it. "It is time that we were on our way." Dark Magician girl says. "Thank you, and goodbye!" The four monsters fly off into the sky and disappear.

"Hey look! It's Yugi!" Tristan says. "Yeah, but… wait! There's two Yugi's!" Joey says. "What? Let me see that!" Tea says, also going over to the window. "Hey, don't crowd." She says.

"I want to see!" Mokuba says, getting up and looking over. "Hey Seto! You've gotta see this!" he says. "What now?" Seto asks as he gets up and comes over, though he too is interested.

Walking on the beach is Yugi, Yami and Alyssa. The trio waves up at the helicopter as it flies over their heads. "Pilot, bring this chopper down!" Seto says and the pilot does so.

"Hey guys." Yugi says as they walk over towards it, his body solid. Those on board look over as they see Alyssa and the Pharaoh walking, their bodies transparent.

"But if you're here, and-" Kaiba says, confused. "Just a little gift for all their hard work." Yugi explains.

Yami looks over and notices the crowd in the helicopter looking at them. "They're staring at us." Alyssa says as he takes both her hands, she facing him. "Well then we should give them something to stare at." He says and leans down to kiss her. He releases her hands and wraps his arms about her waist as he did the day they were married, dipping her back. She can feel her heart speed up as she becomes dizzy, the butterflies returning to her once more. Finally, when it seems she would pass out from lack of air, they pull apart.

"I hope you'll be doing that a lot more." She tells him and he laughs. Looking at her, he says "I promise to love and cherish you, forever and long after.

"And I the same, my Lord, my love, my friend, my Pharaoh." She tells him and he kisses her once again. They begin walking back towards the helicopter, holding hands, her head resting on his shoulder, aware that everyone is looking at them.

"Hi guys." Yami says as they step into the helicopter and Tristan shuts the door. They sit next to each other and he laughs as he feels her hug his arm and kiss his neck. Casually he throws an arm around her waist.

"So." He says..

"Anything interesting happen?"

So how did you all like it?

I hope it was enjoyed.

Anywho, tell me whether or not I should bother making another one in a review, or email me at course, a review is preferred, but whatever. XP.)

Thanks for reading!


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